Million Miles from Yesterday
by Mountain King
Summary: George Hammond receives a letter from his estranged daughter, Joyce Summers, and learns that she died. Desperate to connect to the Grandchildren he didn't know about he arrives in Sunnydale shortly after the Funeral...
1. Introduction & Teaser

Stand in the Storm

Authors Introduction:-  
I've always been fascinated by the "Real Family" trick for crossovers. It's rich in possibly but everyone keeps to the same handful of ideas. I've been looking at doing one "off the beaten track" as it were but nothing really fit.

Looking to take my mind of the jam I've been having with my other work I tried again and this time it worked. I saw what looked like a perfect window and this is it. More of a Joyce's real family story, but it's ramifications are going to be important.

* * *

Disclaimer:-

I do not own Buffy The Vampire Slayer or Stargate SG-1. I'm just borrowing the characters and am not attempting to make profit out of them. If someone out there wants to try and do so:- Please don't. Thanks.

* * *

Introduction:-

The car pulled up outside his home and the airman stood up and opened his door. 'Thanks Rick.' George nodded as he got out

'Pleasure sir.' The young man responded. George knew that his diver had wanted more from the airforce than shuttling people back and forth, but while there were many different ways to advance in rank everyone had to start at the bottom. 'Same time tomorrow?' He asked.

'Yes, thank you. Have a good evening.' George stepped out and let him carry on. The General didn't make it two steps before he was intercepted by a pair of children.

'Grandpa!' Tessa shouted throwing her arms wide.

George, laughing, picked her up as Kayla began telling him about her day at about a thousand words a second. He only caught every fourth or fifth one but he still could piece her adventures together.

Every little thing from, crossing the road to getting a high grade on her school work was the single most important thing in the world. He listened to her seriously, telling her how proud he was and how clever she had been.

Tessa agreed, grinning all the time. It felt like it had taken him forever, but eventually the three of them made it to the front door. 'Will you play with us grandpa?' she asked.

'Oh please! Please!' Kayla almost begged, hoping from one foot to the other.

'Alright, let me say hello to your grandmother first and then I'll be right out.' He told them, putting Tessa down he watched the pair run up to the tree at the bottom of the yard.

Shaking his head George went inside and saw his wife laughing as she dried a glass over the sink. 'I don't know how you do it. Five minutes with them and I'm drained.'

'The secret is having to put up with Jack O'Neill for five years.' he told her.

'Oh you.' Joanne threw the dishcloth at him. He'd invited Jack and his team over a few times, they couldn't exactly talk about what happened under the mountain but his wife knew how immature her husband's second in command could be when he set his mind to it. 'Before you go back out, there's a letter for you. Came this morning, after you left.'

'A letter?' George asked. It had been a while since anyone had sent something to his home. Most official communication was handed by Walter back at the SGC.

'There's a return address on it, for California. Might be important.' She pointed to the kitchen table.

George had a quick look at the cover, 'Sunnydale? Sounds like one of those retirement communities.' He shrugged. It was his best guess, but he knew it was wrong. For one it would have been printed, not handwritten.

It wasn't until after dinner and his daughter-in-law had picked up the girls that George's growing curiosity got the better of him and he opened the mysterious letter. Afterwards he didn't know if it was the right thing or not.

* * *

Jack ambled into Hammond's office after a quick knock on the door. Inside his CO was signing off on a few orders. 'Come in Jack. One moment.'

The General had a pile of paperwork on his desk, you could practically hear the outbox groaning. 'Budget day again, already? Didn't we just have one of those?' Jack asked.

'I just want to make sure everything's in order.'

That didn't sound good. 'Something going on? I got word from Walter you wanted to see me.'

With a flourish he finished what looked to be the last memo in that pile. 'Yes Jack I did. I'm going to be taking some personal time the next few days, I want you to look after the shop here while I'm away.'

'Personal days sir?' He asked pulling up the chair and siting down. That wasn't like the General. 'Is something wrong at home?'

'Sort of.' He admitted carefully. 'Did I ever tell you about my first family Jack?'

That was something he didn't expect. 'Think you mentioned it once. You were both kids at the time and it didn't work out.' Jack tried to remember more.

'That's more or less it. What I don't think I told you was that we had a child. A daughter named Joyce. When things ended badly I lost touch with both of them. Over the years I've made a few attempts, tried to mend bridges. Never with any luck.'

'Until now.' Jack said hopefully.

Hammond shook his head gently. 'I wouldn't call it luck. Joyce died. Nearly three weeks ago. Complications after surgery to remove a brain tumour.'

Jack bit back a number of choice swear words. 'Whatever you need sir.' he said with respect.

'It's not all bad news, Joyce had two daughters who've found a letter she wrote to me before the operation. They only have each other now. Their father is… Out of the picture.'

Sounded like a bad scenario. 'When you heading out?'

'Late, sometime today.' He waved at the paper work on his desk. 'I've got to finish this off and there's a briefing with Master Bra'tac I have to hear.'

'Aren't SG-1 sitting in on that. Some update about the Gould and recent Jaffa defections?'

Hammond nodded. 'I'll be informing the rest of your team then, I just wanted to give you a heads up.'

Jack thought about it. 'We've got nothing but standard recon missions booked. I'm sure I can arrange for other teams to pull them. Carter's been looking for time to finish some projects for a while now and you know Daniel.'

'Then I best get as much of this done as I can and I'll see you at the briefing.' Hammond picked up his pen. As he got up to leave the General called out. 'Jack. Thank you.'

'You do what you gotta for family sir.' Jack resisted the unfamiliar urge to salute without the sarcasm and left.

End Introduction


	2. Chapter One

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter One

Authors note:-

I wasn't very happy with the previous title, It was just a place holder but I couldn't think of a better one. I didn't think it really mattered but I was reluctant to carry on under that heading, so After some soul searching and a flash of inspiration I decided on Million Miles from Yesterday as a replacement. It fits far better and now i can get on with the job of actually writing the story!

Chapter One

They were in the dining room and Buffy was trying to distract herself with housework while Dawn was supposed to be doing her homework. Of course her little sister couldn't just do as she was told. She just kept on pushing it and pushing it. Like she didn't know when to stop.

This time they were arguing about school and how Dawn had been playing hooky for weeks. According to Dawn she didn't need school because she wasn't real. According to everyone else who knew better she did.

Buffy finally exploded; 'Because they'll take you away!' She shouted at her sister.

'What, take me away?' Dawn blinked, her folded arms dropping in shock.

Buffy picked up another towel and shook it lose. It was all pointless. They'd all just get dirty again, but she had to do something. Something to take her mind off how she was messing it all up. 'If I can't prove I'm good enough they'll take you away from me. That's what your teacher told me when you were out of the room.'

Dawn pulled back in her chair. 'Will they… Would they send me to dad?' She asked in a small voice.

'I don't…' Buffy tore the towel in half with her Slayer strength. Taking a breath she calmed herself 'I don't know. I didn't ask. I didn't want to know.' She admitted balling up the rag and throwing it into the sink.

She was reaching for yet another towel when there was a knock on the front door. Dawn jumped in shock, but Buffy was used to surprises. These days there wasn't much left that would shock her. 'What was that?' Dawn asked, her eyes a little wild.

'I'll find out.' Buffy put the last towel down and glared at her. 'Do your homework.'

Dawn, at last, had the good sense to not argue anymore and buried her head in her workbook. Buffy headed to the door.

If it was one of the gang they'd have just come in. If it was a demon they'd have just broken down the door, or come through the window. Glory would just barge in and demand her Key.

That only left another social worker. It wasn't the first one Buffy had to bluff her way past, but it was getting harder. This whole school thing wasn't helping either. Swallowing her pride Buffy opened the door with her best smile and wasn't ready for what she saw.

It was a man, overweight, out of shape and very bald under that peaked hat. He was also wearing a full uniform. Blue with loads of ribbon things on his chest and a pair of gold stars on each shoulder.

She wasn't an expert but what she did know was stars on the shoulders were important. Just behind him was a large and very expensive car parked up at the bottom of the path that lead to her front door. 'Can I help you?' She asked to try and cover up her confusion.

If anything he looked as suddenly nervous as she was. 'I'm George Hammond.' He said in a soft Texan accent. 'You must be Buffy.' He offered her his hand.

She vaguely remembered the name, but she'd never expected to actually meet the man. She certainly hadn't expected him to actually visit.

Stunned she shook his hand. Buffy was careful not to use her Slayer strength, but couldn't think of a thing to say.

'May I come in?' He asked politely.

Instinct kicked in and Buffy checked the small mirror half hidden in the porch, completely forgetting it was daylight outside. He had a reflection, which was something at least. She stepped to the side and he came in, taking his hat off and tucking it under his arm.

He was just as bald as she expected.

Buffy had no idea how she was supposed to act and she could tell he was just as lost. After a uncomfortable moment Buffy shut the door and showed him into the living room.

'So, why are you here?' She asked, trying not to sound suspicious. Buffy could tell he wasn't expecting that, but she carried on. 'No offence. It's just I didn't even know you existed until I found that letter a week ago.'

He stood there like a statue. 'I was asked to stay away, but given your situation I came to see if you needed help.' He said eventually. 'I am, after all, your grandfather.'

As Buffy tried to think of some way to answer that there was a startled squeak from behind her, Buffy didn't even bother to turn. 'Dawn! Do your homework!'

There was another long pause as Buffy tried to get the measure of the man in her living room. 'So, what? You swing by in your fancy car and suit thinking you can be what? Good ol' Grandpa George? Like you've always been here? Like the last, what gazillion years never happened and you never left mom and grans alone?'

He looked at her carefully. 'How much do you know about what happened with your grandmother and me?'

'Not much.' Buffy admitted, folding her arms. 'Just the highlight reel.'

Hammond sighed and shook his head. 'We met in high school, far too young…'

She held a hand up, stopping him. 'I'll wait for the readers digest version of your biography. Get to the good part.' Buffy ordered.

The old man looked at her sharply, which is what she wanted, but instead of being angry he was more impressed. 'We fought a lot. The fights got vicious, but we stayed together for your mother. Then I was deployed. Your grandmother gave me an ultimatum. Resign from the Air Force or she would leave.' He explained quickly.

'I was overseas at the time and I was giving it some serious thought. I guess I took too long to answer. She got the divorce finished before I was shipped back stateside. Courts gave her full custody.'

There was something in his voice that tugged at Buffy. It actually sounded like he cared. 'That's it?' She snapped. 'After all this time you suddenly want to play happy families?'

'You did read the letter.' He pointed out.

Buffy shrugged 'Most of it. That you were still alive, mom tracked you down after she got the news. Left the letter for you incase you wanted to know.' She summed it up.

He closed his eyes, again. 'I tried, several times, to contact her, and you.' He explained. 'Your grandmother was always a proud woman, she insisted I kept my distance. When she died I tried again, but your aunt said I would just cause a scene.'

'My aunt?' Buffy blinked trying to see how Aunt Sheryl fit in.

'When her mother re-married a widower Joyce got an elder sister.' He explained quickly. It irritated Buffy that this virtual stranger knew more about her family than she did.

'You obviously kept in touch.' She snarked.

'Not as much as I wanted to.' He said, that same catch in his voice. 'I tried again a few of years ago, but Joyce was… Distracted. I understand you were away and you hadn't contacted her in a while.'

Buffy knew what he was talking about, her summer away in LA. When she'd ran after stabbing Angel and sent him to Hell. 'So what sort of help are we talking here? A phone call once or twice a month. Maybe a Christmas card? Or do you think you're gong to be our fairy grandfather and make all our problems magically vanish?'

'I honestly don't know.' The man admitted helplessly, only to anger Buffy further. 'I came here hoping to meet you. To get to know you and your sister.' He looked over her shoulder and Buffy knew Dawn was peaking out from around the doorframe.

Buffy was about to shout at her again when the phone rang.

* * *

The door closed behind him and George S. Hammond, two star general in the United States Air Force and commander of the planet's first line of defence, stood there for a moment. Every instinct he had was screaming at him to kick the blasted thing down. March in there and start bellowing orders like a Marine until those two girls packed their bags and came with him back to Colorado.

Instead he rammed his hat on a little harder than he should have and marched across the yard, his head held high. He didn't know if they were watching him but he wasn't going to let their rejection of him crush him.

George hadn't really expected to be welcomed with open arms, but this was something more. He got the feeling Young Buffy would like nothing more than to throw him out of town and never see, or even think about him ever again.

Not that he could blame her for feeling that way. After all these years this was the first time he'd ever even really met her. He'd seen her, briefly once or twice when he'd tried to patch things up with Joyce over the years. Other than that he was a stranger. Worse. If Buffy was anything like her mother she would just resent him even more for trying.

Implying that she couldn't do it would push his granddaughter to keep going, and maybe that was all he could do for her.

His driver opened the door and almost automatically he got inside. As his driver got back in and started the engine he glanced out the window. There was a twitch of the curtains, but that could have been George's imagination.

'Back to the base sir?' The driver asked. 'Sir?'

'Yes, the base. Please.' He nodded and they pulled away.

They drove in silence for a moment before the Driver coughed uncomfortably. 'Sir, I know this isn't any of my business…'

'You got any kids son?' George asked him.

'Urm… No. I mean no Sir.'

'You will. Whatever you do make sure they know you love them. I forgot that and they never forgave me. I thought, maybe, I'd have another chance with her children.' George shook his head. 'But they have long memories son and forgive very little.'

There was another long silence. 'My dad was a real piece of work, sir. He left me and my mom. Saying he was going to come back when he made enough for the two of us. I tracked him down when I was old enough, but he wasn't interested in a family.' The driver admitted. 'He was just a two bit lowlife, sir. You're actually trying. That counts for something.'

George nodded his mid racing. 'Sorry to hear that son. I wish you and your mother the best.' He thought back to the snippets he heard from the phone conversation before Buffy had practically thrown him out. 'I think it's about time I do try. You been stationed here long son?'

'Couple of years sir.'

'You ever heard of a place called the Magic Box?' George thought about Buffy's hushed suggestion that she'd meet whoever was on the other end of the phone whereever there was.

'Think so sir, might be just off the main shopping street. It's one of those new age sort of places. I think.'

George thought about that for a moment. 'Well could be worse. Turn around son, take me there ASAP. I'm tired of making the same mistake.'

* * *

Buffy was furious, after dropping Dawn off at Spike's she'd took off and headed straight for Giles and the Magic Box where she was supposed to meet with the others.

Tara. That crazy blonde thought Tara was the Key. Buffy could only begin to imagine what a mad Hell-Goddess would do. Spike was a walking bruise. If he, you know had an actual heartbeat, he would be dead from the beating. And while Spike could take that sort of thing the idea that Tara of all people might suffer the same was terrifying.

Sure Tara had hidden strengths, but for all her crazy Glory was still a Hell God. And Tara also knew Dawn really was the Key. As selfish as that sounded could Tara really keep that hidden. So when she got to the Magic Box Buffy was more than a little on edge. Finding a note from Giles telling her to instead meet at the Hospital? Well she wasn't sure where she'd heard the phrase worst case scenario but it certainly fit the bill. She had to get to the hospital, like now.

She was outside the Magic Box and about to put on another bit of Slayer speed when she stopped herself.

There He was. Fancy uniform, hat and all standing by that same big black car. 'What the hell do you want?' she asked.

'To retire, finally.' Her grandfather said simply. 'That isn't going to happen, and neither am I just going to go away.'

'I really think you are.' She threatened. Buffy really didn't have time for this and the last thing she wanted right now was to try and help some old guy feel better about something he did back when tv was black and white.

'You might be surprised young lady.' he snapped back. 'Like it or not I am your Grandfather. Just because I might not be there all the time I will still worry about both you and Dawn.'

Buffy glared at him. 'Where was that worry for…'

'I let your mother and your grandmother decide!' he interrupted. 'It nearly killed me! Every time I had to turn my back I promised myself there would be another time. Another chance. Twice now I've watched that vanish. I refuse to do that again. I'm not asking for you to forgive me, I'm not asking you to forget. Or to act like I've always been there for you like I should have. I'm telling you I'm done turning my back.'

Buffy took a step back. He meant it. He had to go and be a good person after all that had happened. Her Grandfather actually had to go and sound like he cared. It was just his timing that sucked. Buffy rubbed her forehead. 'Right, I really don't have time for this. A friend of mine just got taken to hospital and I have to be there.' She stressed the word "have". 'I get that you want to talk this all out, but I don't have the time.'

'Let me take you there.' He offered. 'It's quicker to drive and I do have a car.'

Buffy decided to be generous and gave him a quick smile. 'Alright, just because I need to get there, like now.'

Buffy's Grandfather held the door for her and she got in the limo. Buffy didn't have that much experience with cars but this thing was more like a bus. Only private and with a lot more expensive seats. 'Nice car.' she said weakly.

'I do have certain resources.' he admitted with a hint of embarrassment. 'Where are we going?'

'Urm, Sunnydale memorial?' Buffy said, a little uncertain.

'You heard the lady son.' he said to the driver. 'and we're in a hurry.'

'Yes sir.' For a second Buffy wondered if they were related, but something told her the old man called everyone son at one point or another.

The limo practically took off before swinging around in a turn in the right direction. 'So you're in the military?' Buffy asked, suddenly desperate to fill the silence.

End Chapter One


	3. Chapter Two

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Two

George nodded, hoping for a moment that his granddaughter was interested in getting to know him, but the way she glanced out the window told him she was just making small talk. 'Air Force, actually. I joined when I was younger than you are now.' He told her.

'You said. You fly planes and stuff?'

'I used to.' He admitted, 'A long time ago now. These days I'm more of a paper pusher.' The truth was he would love to still be out there, fighting the Goa'uld side by side with those brave officers he sent into battle, but he was just too big a target.

Not that he could tell her that. 'And yourself?'

Buffy shrugged. 'Don't know. I was in college, but that was… before. Now?' It was as if she didn't know how to answer.

'You left to take care of your sister.' George guessed.

'And mom.' Buffy admitted to her shoes. 'I was planning to go back next semester.'

He could tell she was having second thoughts about that and knew it would be a bad idea to press but he couldn't help himself from asking; 'What were you studying?'

'Whole bunch of things.' Buffy said eventually. George got the feeling she was being deliberately evasive, and he couldn't blame her.

Every instinct was telling him she was lost. In desperate need of help and support, but he knew that if he tried to be that support, as he had offered Joyce in the past, she would push him away. 'Maybe you can still go back? Use this time to figure things out.'

'Yeah. That would be good.'

The car took a turn and carried on. 'Just around the next corner, sir.' the driver told him. George knew that as soon as he let Buffy out she'd keep avoiding him. This could be his last chance. 'Buffy, if you need any help I can be there.'

'I'm fine.'

'Even so,' George began before stopping. This was the wrong approach. 'I'm sorry, I'm doing this wrong. I want to be part of your life, and for you to be part of mine. We're family, whatever that means.'

'No offence, but you're not.' She told him, finally meeting his gaze. 'You're just some guy I've only just met that want's to make up for all the time he spent playing with planes when he was some dumb kid.'

George stopped before very carefully putting a cap on his sudden temper. 'I… I don't regret what I've done. I have served my country with distinction. With some of the best and the brightest in the world.' he told her seriously. 'I do regret what happened between your grandmother and me, and what happened with Joyce, but if it came down to a choice I would still chose my career. It has been that important.'

'So why all this?' She asked

'Because I do not want another regret. I see a strong, determined, young woman struggling with a responsibility she shouldn't have to alone. I won't turn my back on you, even if we were strangers. We're not, we're blood.'

Buffy shook her head. 'You don't… You can't…'

The car was pulling to a stop. 'I'm not saying I can be there for you all the time, I can't promise that. I can promise, if you let me, that I will make every effort to be.'

Buffy looked at him helplessly. 'I really can't change your mind can I?'

'Not on this.' He admitted.

His granddaughter shook her head again as the door opened 'Your timing really sucks.' she told him. 'Things are, are so complicated right now. If I can prove to you me and Dawn are good here can we do this whole getting to know you thing later?'

At last George began to think he'd made some progress. 'Of course.'

'Come on then.'

George blinked. 'Now?'

'Well the gangs all going to be here.' She told him getting out of the car. George thanked the driver and told him to park up somewhere safe. Buffy added something about being really safe and the young man seemed to understand something George didn't.

'What was that about?' he asked as they entered.

'Car jackings. They happen around here.' She said altogether too quickly. George let it slide but added it to a growing list of concerns he had. Including the size of the hospital. Sunnydale wasn't a large city by any stretch of the imagination, but the building they were entering was big enough for somewhere twice the size.

What was worse was it looked busy, full of doctors and nurses rushing around on jobs. He knew from the SGS's infirmary medical professionals didn't work this way if they didn't have too.

Buffy didn't seem to notice, she went straight for the reception desk. 'Hi, I'm looking for Tara Maclay, she was brought in with a broken hand and… and I think she hit her head.'

The receptionist glanced at George, obviously drawn by his uniform. After a moment he turned to Buffy. 'Are you family?'

'Yes, the only family she has in town.' Buffy said firmly. George kept his face neutral. Not sure if she was lying to the man, or if she did consider this Tara family.

The man obviously couldn't tell either. He checked his records, 'Major trauma, room six. That's…'

'Down there and to the right. I know the way.' Buffy told him off hand. 'Thanks.' They got half way down the corridor before Buffy added, 'I've been here before and I'm good with places.' She told George.

Not trusting himself to speak he only nodded and added another item to his list of things that concerned him.

They stopped outside a nondescript room. The only thing to distinguish it from the dozen or so others was the notice next to the frame. 'I'll wait outside.' George suggested, 'Give you a chance to talk with your friends first.'

She smiled at him, a genuine, honest, smile before opening the door and slipping inside

But George wasn't just being polite. Over his years of service and military training he had developed a sixth sense. Something the last seven years defending the planet had honed to a fine degree. Right now that sense was telling him something was desperately wrong with this supposedly sleepy little town.

* * *

Giles looked up as Buffy came in, the doctor was just explaining what had happened to Tara's hand. 'Compound fractures, multiple,' He pointed at the x-ray. 'It's almost as if it was crushed in a vice. Are you sure no one saw what happened?'

Willow was only half listening, that left Giles and Xander to answer. 'Don't think so.' Xander told him. 'Willow would have told us.'

The red haired girl looked up at the mention other name. 'Huh, no I didn't see what happened.' she said quickly before turning to the doctor. 'Will she be alright.'

'Well when it comes to her hand it's going to hurt for awhile, We didn't have to reset any bones and there doesn't seem to be any nerve damage. The prognosis is good, I'll arrange a follow up appointment in a few weeks to confirm but keep it immobile and let it heal there shouldn't be any issues.' He glanced at Tara, who was looking at the wall blankly. 'If I can ask; I've seen her records, but there was no indication of her current mental state.'

'It's not, she wasn't.'

'I understand.' The doctor nodded. Giles could tell it wasn't the first time he'd seen someone brought in with sudden onset insanity. Knowing that Glory was still out there she wouldn't be the last. 'I'll go sort out the medication. Try to keep her calm. If she becomes violent please call the orderly.' With what was supposed to be a reassuring smile he left.

'How is she?' Buffy asked Willow quietly.

'She'll be alright, she's fine.' The Wiccan replied, stroking Tara's hair. To Giles it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself as much as Buffy. 'Won't you baby?'

'Tara?' Buffy asked only to get a dreamy smile in return.

'They chase mice.' Tara said vaguely. Be it Glory's effect on her or the painkillers Giles wasn't sure what was confusing the poor girl more. He shared an uncomfortable look with Xander and Anya. Both of whom looked about as happy as he was about the situation.

'I got to go do something, but I'll be right back I promise.' Willow said quietly as she stood up

'What are you thinking Will?'

'I'm thinking Glory hurt Tara and took something from her, I'm going to get it back.'

Buffy blinked, 'That's… Will, think about this for a moment. That's a bad idea.' She said urgently, Giles agreed. 'A really bad idea. You know what Glory is capable of.'

'And you know what I can do!' She snarled back

'You're powerful, yes, but this is Glory we're talking about.'

Giles took a step forward. 'Willow, now might not be the best time.' 'The best time?' She blurted out

'You have no idea.' Buffy rolled her eyes, 'Will, let's do what we can for Tara now. We can do the whole revenge thing later.'

Willow froze for a moment before sitting down next to her girlfriend. Tears in her eyes.

Buffy sighed. 'Speaking of timing, things are even worse than you guys know. My grandfather's in town.'

'Your grandfather?' Xander asked.

Buffy shrugged, 'Yeah, he and mom had this falling out years ago. I found a letter she wrote him after the funeral and sent it on. He wants to help me and Dawn.'

Giles's mind was racing. 'Is that such a bad thing?'

'With Glory kidnapping Spike? Attacking Tara in the middle of the afternoon?' Buffy pointed out. 'If Glory figures it out nothing will stop her. It's safer if me and Dawn stay here. Where we can protect her.' Buffy told them. Giles suspected there was more to it than that, but kept his mouth shut. 'We just have to convince him we've got everything under control and that maybe we'll come over for christmas and he'll leave us alone. At least long enough until we get through this.'

'Really?' Anya asked 'This is under control?'

'We can try, right?' Buffy said hopefully.

There was a general murmur of agreement before Giles had a horrible thought. 'I'm sure we'd all like to meet him, is he with Dawn at the moment.'

'I left Dawn with Spike, she's safe. He's just outside though.'

'Your Grandfather is just outside?' Giles asked and got a nod in return.

'I'll go get him. Just remember; everything's under control.'

Giles resisted the urge to glance at Tara as Buffy went back to the door. Instead he and Xander shared another look that summed up their shared opinion of that plan.

An already low opinion that went straight down hill when Buffy's grandfather entered the room. Giles had only half expected an oldish looking gentleman, with a bookish air about him. A former teacher, or perhaps researcher even a relatively harmless retired accountant. What he did not expect was a military officer.

Overweight, but obviously once in shape, he was short, bald and in what the US military called dress blues. There were a number of strips on his chest, representing a long and distinguished service. He also had a pair of silver stars on each shoulder.

A two star General in the United States Air Force. There couldn't be more than a dozen people in the country that would clearly outrank him. In command of easily more than a thousand people and with access to resources from across the entire US military. Buffy, obviously, had no idea the authority of the man and expecting a career military officer like this to just leave because she said so was incredibly naive.

The general looked at each of them in turn, slightly pausing when it came to Giles. 'General George Hammond.' he introduced himself.

'Major General' Giles heard Xander mutter but ignored him

'I'm honoured to meet you General.' He said politely, 'Rupert Giles, this is Xander Harris and Anya Jenkins. Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay.'

'Shiny' Tara smiled softly at him.

The General didn't take his eyes off Giles, assessing if he was threat or not. 'Giles used to be the librarian at our old high school.' Buffy explained, seeing where things were going. 'We all used to hang out there, skipping class. He'd try to teach us something. When it kinda went away we kept in touch.' She lied easily.

'I now run a shop in town, where I employ Anya.' He added.

'I see.' he nodded and Giles took a shallow breath. The General then looked down at Tara; 'What happened?' He asked Willow.

'She urm… she had an accident. Hurt her hand.' Willow told him. 'But she'll be fine. She'll be fine.'

* * *

George spent a few minutes getting to know his granddaughters friends. The ones she considered family. Mr Giles had concerned him at first and while he could tell there was more to things than what they were telling George's instincts told him he was a good man.

The same went for Harris and his girlfriend Jenkins. While blunt she was at least honest and Harris cared for her. The thing that confused him was Maclay and Rosenberg. They weren't sisters, that much was certain. Perhaps he was a little too old fashioned, but he was still worldly enough to know how much they meant to one another. Even if he didn't strictly approve.

That just left Buffy. She was putting a brave face on it but something had seriously rattled her. Otherwise Dawn would be there with them. He'd only caught pieces of what they talked about before he came in, and it hadn't made much sense to him.

What he could tell though was that Maclay's injury was more than just her hand. When the doctor returned he gave Rosenberg a number of drugs, some of which he recognised as mild tranquillisers and mood stabilisers. Neither of which had anything to do with an injured hand.

After that Rosenberg wheeled her lover out of the room, followed by the others. George remained behind with Buffy. 'Your friend will be alright.'

'Yeah, she will.' Buffy agreed.

'I understand you want to help and I'll just be in the way right now, but that doesn't mean I'm going anywhere. I have a few days before I have to be back at the base, I can come back, say, the day after tomorrow. When things have settled down a bit. I still have to meet Dawn properly.'

Buffy looked at him, suspicion in her eyes. 'And then what?'

'I think it would be best if the three of us decided that together. Maybe one of the others should be there as well.' He pointed out, expecting it to be Mr Giles. That would give him another chance to size up the Englishman.

'Alright. Day after tomorrow, afternoon. You meet Dawn and we talk out what we do next.' She seemed to accept his offer. 'So, you're going to be happy with me staying here?'

'This is your home and they are also your family. I don't want to take either of you away from that, but I want you to be safe as well.'

Buffy didn't say anything for a long second. Eventually she nodded. 'Thank you. I've got to catch up with the others.' And with that she was gone.

By all rights George should have left too, gone back to his hotel room and contact the SGC. Find out what he had missed before taking the day off to prepare himself for the next time they met.

Instead he left to find the doctor that had been treating Maclay. He did so quickly, as he found them talking with an orderly just down the corridor. 'Doctor, if I can ask a question.'

'Yes General?

'The young lady you were treating, Miss Maclay, am I right in assuming that her hand was not her only injury?'

'General, I'm afraid I can't share a patient's details. Unless you are direct family, which I don't think you are.'

George knew those were the rules, but had hoped the doctor would be a little more relaxed. That he was being right lipped told George something else. Often what people did not say was more interesting than what they did. Before he could push, however, another doctor approached.

'Excuse me General?' They were young, even younger than the doctor George was talking to. Unshaven and a little rougher around the edges.

The first one, however, rolled his eyes, 'Doctor Rodgers, please. You already know everything I know. We are all far too busy to attend another pointless briefing.'

'Actually I wasn't asking you.' Rodgers dismissed the other man. 'General, I demand to know just what your interest is here? Are you here to cover up what's happening in this town? I have to object in the strongest possible way! You have no right to…'

'Doctor Rodgers!' Hammond snapped, interrupting him mid rant. 'I can assure you I have no idea just what you're talking about. I was visiting family when a close friend was brought in with a serious injury and I was just trying to find out more.'

'Oh' the young man said.

'Now would one of you please tell me just what is happening here? What are you talking about a cover up?'

The first doctor sighed. 'General, please forgive my colleague. His frustration is getting the better of him. The truth is we are experiencing a rush, if you will, of people suffering from mental trauma. This sort of thing happens every so often. You can go years without a case and then have several at once. Doctor Rodgers is from the CDC, and despite his best efforts he has been unable to find any explanation other than random chance and a statistical anomaly for it.' He said forcefully. 'Now if you will both excuse me I have other patients to see.'

'Statistical anomaly? Statistical anomaly?' Rodgers said disbelievingly at the man's back.

'I assume you don't agree Doctor.' George pressed.

Rodgers ran a hand through his hair and all the energy seemed to flow out of him. 'I don't, but he's right there's no other possible explanation. I've run every ethical test I can think of and there's nothing. No viral strains. No evidence of parasites. Nothing to explain what's happening.'

'Doctor, what is happening?' George repeated.

He nodded, as if to himself. 'Follow me.' Rodgers lead George down another corridor and to a recovery room just off to one side. 'Come on.' Inside there was a number of people, restrained in their beds. They were muttering and mumbling to themselves. Oblivious to the world.

George looked at them in horror. They were obviously insane. 'How many?'

'Are like this? I have no idea.' Rodgers shrugged. 'It started several months ago, people found wandering the streets. No history, personal or family, of mental instability. At first one or two, but now.' He shrugged helplessly. 'The hospital's running out of beds. The ones they can't find a family for, the ones that are violent, they keep here and other rooms across the site.'

'The rest?'

'Drugged to the eyeballs and sent home.' Rodgers admitted. 'So many have been treated as outpatients in the last couple of weeks I haven't been able to get exact numbers. With more coming in everyday. The friend of your family you mentioned?'

'She was brought in with an injured hand and appeared…' George was lost for words.

'Like this.'

Whatever George was about to say vanished as he saw something that set his gut cold. At the far end there was a man. It was his mutterings that drew George's attention. Rambling about the will of God, of Beasts and keys.

What froze him was not just the size of the man; big and strong. Built like a fighter with broad shoulders taught against the heavy restraints. What really concerned him was the large tattoo across his forehead.

He didn't recognise the symbol, but he knew instantly what it meant. Jaffa. There was a Jaffa warrior in Sunnydale!

End Chapter Two


	4. Chapter Three

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Three

Jack was busy finding ways not to do anything as he was in temporary charge of the SGC. With Hammond off reuniting, or should that be uniting, with his grand-daughters SG-1 had been given some much needed down time. While he hadn't quite figured out how to justify watching the Simpsons on base he did have the latest issue of the Airforce times and could argue it was work related.

Flipping to the next article he heard a cough at he door. Peering over the paper he saw Daniel amble into the office and sit down opposite him. Folding up the newspaper he looked at his team member. 'Daniel?'

The archeologist looked around the room before giving a half hearted shrug 'Jack.'

'Aren't you supposed to be off duty, as in off base and enjoying yourself?'

'I've got some artefacts to catalog. Now's as good a time as any.'

Jack shook his head, he should have known the Space monkey would find an excuse. 'Great. Word is Carter's working on some dohicky with her Father and Teal'c's not due to visit his family for another week. Call me old fashioned but when people get down time I think they should… I don't know… enjoy themselves.'

'Jack, you know this place. If we all left at once we'd be called back before we got out the door.' he pointed out.

'Aht' Jack held up a finger. 'We're not saying that. The Gate's quiet, nothing is going to happen.'

There was a very pregnant pause as the two of them looked around the room, expecting the shoe to drop.

'Dodged a bullet there Jack.' Daniel admitted eventually before the phone rang.

'Ya think?' Jack quipped and picked it up. 'Hammond's office.' he answered, glaring at Daniel as if it was his fault.

'Sir, I have General Hammond on the line. He needs to talk to you.' Walter announced.

'Put him through.' Jack sighed as he waited for the click of the line being transferred. 'General, How's things in California?'

'Worrying.' Hammond said quickly. 'We have a possible Charlie Golf Foxtrot.'

Now that got Jack's attention, he practically jumped out of his chair. Charlie Golf Foxtrot was phonetic for SG-F. Code for a foothold scenario, with an alien force not just threatening Earth, but actually on the planet 'What!?' He almost exploded.

'You heard me Jack. I'm in Sunnydale General Hospital, looking at the file of a man with a tattoo on his forehead.'

'A tattoo?' Jack's mind raced. 'A…

He didn't get a chance to finish. 'No, there's no… Evidence that he's one of them.' Hammond explained cryptically. Either there was someone in the room with him, or this wasn't a secure line. Either way it didn't matter. This was every kind of bad. 'It's just I don't like the coincidence. He's obviously a warrior of some sort, even without the… enhancements you'd expect form one of them.'

'And you just happen to be in town?' Jack pointed out.

'No. It's not that.' He said carefully from half way across the country. 'Jack, there's something strange about this town and I'm not talking about the uncomfortable about of cemeteries I noticed on the way in. Something is here and it's quite literally driving people out of their minds.'

'Hold on, what?' Jack wasn't following.

'The hospital here, which you'd expect to be able to handle the darker parts of New York, is pushed to breaking point with otherwise healthy people spontaneously developing dementia with no earthly explanation why. Jack, I want SG's One, Three and Nine ready to deploy. Once I've spoken to Doctor Frasure about my concerns I'm going straight to Joint Chiefs. If there's even the possibility of this being some sort of biological attack…' He left it there.

'Understood sir, We'll move on your signal.' Jack assured him. Tapping the intercom button he summoned Walter.

'Sergeant, put General Hammond through to Doctor Frasure immediately and then get Teal'c. I'll get Carter.' He looked up at Daniel, who had only heard half the conversation. 'Grab your kit space monkey.'

* * *

Buffy met Spike outside a cave that lead to the oh so convenient underground tunnels that ran throughout Sunnydale. Sometimes Buffy didn't understand why the whole place didn't just fall in on itself. 'How is she?' she asked as they headed underground.

'Teenager.' The bleached blond vampire shrugged. 'One moment it's the end of the world the next she's wondering what boys like her.'

Buffy gave him a glare.

'Yeah I know, she's too young to date.'

'I was going to say this is Sunnydale. It is the end of the world, moron.'

'Well, there's that.' Spike admitted with a shrug. 'What you got there?' He pointed at the bag she had with her.

With a grunt she threw it to him. 'Butcher's blood. Thought you'd want it.' Buffy told him waving at his still badly bruised face.

'I'd prefer virgin.' he smirked. The smile dropped when he saw the look on her face. 'Just a joke luv, It'll help.' He looked in the bag. 'Have to say I wouldn't have though you for Florence bleeding Nightingale.'

'I just don't want to owe you, that's all.' Buffy told him point blank.

'Hey, I didn't do this for you. I did it for the bit.' Spike explained.

That confused her. 'What do you mean?' she asked suspiciously.

'Just saying, the girl's had it bad is all. Forget the whole adopted, used to be a magical glowing Key thing. She's just lost her mum. She doesn't need some crazy bint coming after her cause she's got this whole… thing.' He waved his free hand in front of them.

The scary thing was Buffy could tell he meant it. 'You sure the Monks didn't mess with you too?' She asked before she could stop herself.

'Dunno.' He admitted. 'Just, I never liked killing those that couldn't fight back. Guess that's why I always went for the fight rather than the kill.' The odd pair took a couple of twists and turns in silence, Buffy's mind going over yet another new side to her arch-enemy come reluctant ally. As much as she hated the perverted, psychotic, Vampire the Slayer had to admit he could sometimes surprise her.

'Buffy!' Dawn shouted as they passed a final corner. Running up to her Buffy's sister bombarded her with questions; 'What happened? How's Tara? Is she okay?'

Buffy sighed. 'Not really. Glory hurt her hand and then…'

'She did the head thing?'

'She did the head thing.' Buffy admitted. 'Tara's still there, it's just hard for her to focus.'

Dawn screwed her eyes shut as Buffy heard Spike swear under his breath. She was pretty sure Dawn didn't hear him and to be honest that was how she felt to.

'Urm, Dawn there's something I need to tell you.'

'Oh God, Tara told her, didn't she?'

'She wouldn't do that niblet.' Spike said absolutely. 'The witch is strong and she loves you. I know what Glory can do, she got nothing on Will's girl.' The vampire pulled out a cigarette looked at it for moment and put it back.

Buffy nodded. 'Spike's right, for a change, Tara didn't say anything. What I want to talk about is the man that came to the house.'

Dawn looked up, eyes wide. 'He said he was…'

'Yeah. Thing is, he is.'

Spike looked between the two of them. 'What's this?'

Buffy sighed, realising she'd have to explain to both of them. 'Mom's dad, he came to see us just before this whole mess. He and Mom didn't get along so they hadn't talked in a while.'

'So what does he want now?'

'To see if we're alright.' Buffy told him. 'Dawn and me. I guess he trusted Mom could look after herself and us, but he's got to get to know us. He came round the house, but I kinda had to throw him out when Anya called about Tara. I guess he followed me to the Magic Box or something. He gave me a ride to the Hospital and we got talking.' She shrugged.

'So what do you know about this Granddad of yours?' Spike asked.

Buffy looked at him and shrugged. 'Dunno, not much. Bald, kinda fat. Works in the Air Force. Important, from all the ribbons on his uniform and the way Giles and the guys reacted.'

'Great, more army people.'

Dawn bit her lip. 'He didn't say he was going to take me away did he?'

'I won't let him do that.' Buffy promised, pulling her close. 'He's staying for a bit though. He's going to come round again in a couple of days so we can talk about how to deal.'

'Okay.' Dawn said in a small voice.

They sat there for a moment, Buffy not sure what to do next. 'How's Willow handling it?' Spike asked out of nowhere.

'About the Grandfather thing? I don't think she really noticed.' Buffy admitted.

'I think he was talking about what happened to Tara.' Dawn pointed out.

'Oh. Well not good.' Buffy told them. 'She was really distracted the whole time I was there. She was looking to get all payback-y but I talked her out of it.'

'You talked her out of what?'

'Payback. I explained what would be the point. Glory's a god.'

Spike finally pulled out a cigarette, but didn't light it. 'Right, so a super-powerful witch was all ready to go and get her self a pint of god blood until what, you explained?'

'Will's hurting to be sure, but it would be suicide.' Buffy told him, feeling like she was explaining something obvious.

'I'd do it.' He told her with a shrug, 'For the right person, I wouldn't care what it cost me.' Buffy didn't doubt that, but Will was a lot smarter than Spike, wasn't she?

'Think Buffy, what if it had been me?' Dawn asked and Buffy remembered something, Love makes you do the crazy.

* * *

Janet picked up the phone. 'Infirmary.'

'Doctor, it's General Hammond.'

'General, I wasn't expecting you to call. How's things with your grandchildren?' She asked.

'I'll know more when I actually get a chance to talk to them for more than five minutes.' he admitted, 'Doctor i'm here with a Doctor Rodgers from the CDC. He's in Sunnydale investigating, something he can't explain.'

Janet frowned. 'What do you mean?'

'This thing has a speakerphone function. I'll turn it on.' He told her. 'Can you hear me?'

'Clearly General.'

'Doctor Frasure, this is Doctor Rodgers.'

'Doctor.'

'Doctor.' What sounded like a young man said. 'You wouldn't be Doctor Janet Frasure, the one that published a paper a couple of months ago on the mutation of viral strains when infecting multiple species?'

Janet was glad he couldn't see her as she winced. 'That was me, yes.' She'd done a lot of the early work on that dealing with an alien viral strain that had infected an off-world team. The natives had a cure, which didn't work on the SGC personnel because the virus had acquired a few new tricks from the chicken-pox one of the scientists was carrying from his kid.

She couldn't say as much in a publicly distributed paper, but with some clever writing an a bit of artistic licence she'd been able to hide that fact. 'The General said he had the best. Doctor, I know a great number of so called experts that are desperately trying to prove you wrong.'

'Any luck?'

'Not yet.' he told her. 'Doctor, you might be just the person we need. I'll explain, only I don't know where to start.'

'Start with the symptoms.' She suggested gently. He sounded tired, almost defeated. She knew that feeling, all too often.

'Spontaneous, rapid onset, insanity. With no prior history, personal or family. Some have a near identical pattern of bruising, either side of their heads, around the temples.' He stopped.

'That's it?'

'That's it, there's no evidence of viral or parasitical infection in the blood work. The patients have been found all over the town. There's no way to tell if it's isolated to a single location or several.'

Janet was left wondering if this was a joke. 'No offence, but it doesn't sound like it's a medical issue.'

'That's what my bosses are saying, but I have nearly a hundred cases here and god only knows how many have been treated as out patients.'

'I'm sorry but what? A hundred?' She gasped.

'That's not a statistical anomaly is it Doctor?' The General asked.

'Ten is a statistical anomaly. Hundred? I don't know what to class this as. How long has this been going on?'

'The past four months.'

'That's nearly one new confirmed case a day!' She gasped.' Doctor Rodgers you need to contact your superiors at once and have them quarantine the entire area. We have to check national rates, if this is happening elsewhere…'

'I've tried. They don't want to cause a panic. Especially if we don't know what it is yet, and I'm not exactly popular at the moment.' Rodgers explained.

'That's outrageous!' she told him. 'General, you have to contact the joint chiefs, set up an exclusion zone at least five miles away from the city limits.'

'They're my very next call. Doctor, looking at these patients I'm reminded of Dr Jackson's case a few years ago.'

'You'll have to be a bit more specific General, you know how Daniel is.' Janet suggested before stoping. 'The Ma'chello incident with the Linvers.'

'Exactly.' The Linvers were a splinter group of Goa'uld who had been attacked by the genius inventor Ma'chello. He'd used a biological weapon to kill the symbiote but there was a side effect. If someone that wasn't Goa'uld was infected they'd display symptoms of mental instability. 'There is other evidence that there might be… Others involved. A man with a tattoo on his forehead. I've asked Colonel O'Neill to mobilise a number of teams to my location as soon as possible.'

'I'll have a full medical team go with them.' She promised. 'But before we leave I'll have Sam do a search, see if this is happening anywhere else.'

'Good idea Doctor.' General Hammond agreed.

'I've not heard of any other cases, but like I said my friends at the CDC aren't exactly taking this, or me, seriously.'

'Doctor Rodgers, by the time I've finished with your superiors they'll be the ones not being taken seriously!' She promised.

* * *

Jack found the Carters in the Major's lab, they were tinkering with what, to Jack, looked like a naquada reactor. 'You think you should be playing with that?' He asked

Carter rolled her eyes 'Yes sir, it's perfectly safe.'

'It's not going to explode or anything, right?'

She shared a look with her Father. 'Jack, there's at least a thousand different reasons this isn't going to explode, not including the failsafes. All we're doing is looking at the power transfer and trying to make it more efficient. What's up?' Jacob asked.

Jack shrugged; 'Can you, or Selmak, think of anything that could drive people… nuts?'

'What are you talking about?'

'Just think about it for moment, alright?'

Carter's Dad stood up and paced back and forth, 'Nothing springs to mind, but…' he paused and then his eyes flashed

'An interesting idea Jacob.' Selmak said, using his voice. 'it's possible.'

'What is?' Carter asked

His eyes flashed again and his voice was back to normal. 'That Nishta powder, the stuff Seth used on you guys. It's really complicated and hard to manufacture at the best of times. Seth must have stockpiled it back in the day.'

'And if you don't get the recipe right?' Jack prodded.

Jacob shrugged. 'Don't know, neither does Selmak, but he agrees that if it did go wrong it could have all sorts of side effects.'

'Including making people go nuts.'

'As you said.' Jacob nodded and then froze. 'Jack, this isn't some theoretical is it?

Jack shook his head. 'Hammond just called. The town his grandkids live in is going nuts, one person at a time, and there's what looks a lot like a Jaffa effected too. Carter grab your kit, as soon as we get the word we're on our way to sunny California.'

'I'm coming too Jack. This could be serious.'

'I'll try to get hold of Hammond, pass on you think there might be a snake-head gould on the lose.'

* * *

Buffy knocked on the dorm room door and it was Dawn that let her in. 'How is she?' she asked looking to the bed.

'Willow or Tara?' Dawn asked back helplessly. 'You get the…?'

Buffy held up the takeaway bag. She'd caught up to Willow, they had been right. Her best friend had tried taking Glory on herself, which like Buffy had predicted was suicide. Will had thrown everything she could at her and the Hell god had just walked it off.

They'd been lucky so far, but it was only a matter of time before Glory caught up with them. They needed a plan, but not now. Not today. Buffy sat down and began handing out sandwiches. Today they helped Tara.

As if she knew what Buffy was thinking the blonde girl looked at her and smiled sadly.

Suddenly the wall was ripped open. 'I told you this wasn't over!' It was Glory, she'd followed them.

Tara cried out and Dawn tried to comfort her; 'No, No it's okay!' Buffy's sister whispered urgently.

'Oh look at that. So pretty, such pretty green energy!' Tara said distractedly.

Buffy froze. Not here, not now. please. She turned to the hell-god. She was laughing. She'd found her prize. Whatever time Buffy thought the might have was gone.

End Chapter Three


	5. Chapter Four

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Four

George entered the administrators office, 'Doctor Black, Major-General George Hammond.' he introduced himself.

He wasn't that impressed by the man sitting at the desk; he was short, wore an expensive looking suit and a bad hair piece. George had lost his own hair a long time ago and what he saw was proof, it it was needed, that trying to hide that fact never really worked 'Ah yes, General. I heard you were in the building. How can I help you?' The Administrator said with an oily smile.

George got the feeling he was talking to one of Kensey's NID stooges. 'Doctor, I was visiting with my granddaughter when I was made aware of the epidemic you're dealing with.'

'Epidemic?'

'Yes, the insanity epidemic.' George clarified.

'I'm afraid your mistaken General.' The man laughed lightly. 'We have no such issue. Oh, there's a minor rise in certain injuries to be sure but that's a statistical…

'…Anomaly. Yes I've been assured of that. I have also been in contact with my own medical staff and they assure me that statistical anomalies on this scale are more in line with entire nations, not small town's in northern California!'

'I'm sure that is an exaggeration.' He quickly replied. George could see the man beginning to sweat. 'If such an issue existed the CDC would have been alerted already.'

'Apparently not. I have made some enquiries. You have repeatedly sent false information to the CDC upon request. I have given them a more accurate report and as I understand it they are already making enquiries as to why alarms were not raised on their end earlier.'

'But… but…'

'Now, Doctor. My own staff are on their way, I would appreciate it when they arrive you have facilities made available for them.' George pressed.

The sweaty man took a moment and pulled himself together, sitting up straight he tried a different tactic. 'General, this is all a misunderstanding. I am sure when you have talked with your superiors…'

'I already have.'

Doctor Black reached for the phone at his desk 'Then perhaps you should talk to the Governor, I'm sure he will explain everything.'

'The Governor is busy. He's in a meeting with the President at the moment. Where he is being informed that, given the nature of the emergency, the town is under marshal law. Within the hour I will be taking command of all resources in the area.'

The man went as white as a sheet. 'You, you're joking. This is some sort of elaborate prank…'

George pulled himself up to his full hight. 'I am deadly serious.'

Dr Black slumped in his chair. 'Sit down General.' he said softly.

'I'm sorry, what?'

The bureaucrat reached into his desk and pulled out a half empty bottle of scotch and a dirty looking glass. 'I'd offer you one, but I suspect you're going to be busy.' Opening the bottle the man poured a measure before quite firmly putting the cork back. 'Please have a seat General.'

George wasn't sure what had come over the man but decided to let it play out. He pulled out a chair and waited.

After a long moment Black took a sip. 'I've had this post longer than most of my predecessors. I got it nearly six years ago under Wilkins and the reason why I've lasted this long is I've known how things happen around here. We all know the score around here, keep your head down. Don't make a fuss and get out before something goes wrong. I thought I'd dodged it, guess it was just waiting for me.'

He took another sip. George could tell the man wanted to throw it down his throat, followed by the rest of the bottle. 'What is happening in this town?' He asked, hoping to get some sort of answer at last.

''I'd be damned if I know.' Black shrugged. 'Just over year ago we had an outbreak of laryngitis. At least that's what we called it. Whole town lost it's voice, over night. Just like that.' He snapped his fingers. 'Couldn't say a word. We blamed a batch of anti-flu jabs, but the truth was the was no reason. We couldn't find out why. Cleared up over night. Symptoms vanished as soon as they came.

'We have more wild animal attacks here than anywhere else in the country, but no wild animals. None. Not even stray cats. This old high school principle I knew, eaten by wild dogs! These dogs somehow broke into his office, in the middle of a school day no less, and ate him, and a pig for some reason. No one saw any dogs. The really weird thing, the bite marks on the body were human. Explain that. I certainly can't.'

George felt a creeping horror as Dr Black lent forward. 'Speaking of the high school, this one time a few years ago pretty much the entire school swim team was killed off. Their skin stripped from their bodies. Strange thing, no bodies. No trace of bone or muscle. Not even blood. Just their skin, shredded.' He lent back again, taking mouthful of scotch this time. 'Things like that happen around here. They just do. No explanation. People know about it, and don't talk. The people around here accept it.'

He rolled the last of his drink around the bottom of his glass. 'You're not the first to try and clean up this town. It's happened a few times. My predecessor, one day just snapped, started asking questions. You'll probably end up the same as they did. Gives me nightmares just thinking about it. So I'm going to say something; Don't get involved. Do whatever you feel you should, but in the end agree that it's just a strange quirk in the statistics and then get out. It's not worth your career, its certainly not worth your life.'

It took some effort for George to keep his expression neutral. 'I take it that's the best advice you can give me.'

'No. I wouldn't advise you on anything General. I've not said anything, I'm sure you understand.' He finished his drink with another mouthful. 'Now I have to make arrangements for your team and then I will hand in my resignation. I can guarantee that several of my counterparts in the police, fire department and others will be doing the same.

'I see.' George stood up. 'I thank you for your honesty Doctor. If I can be equally as honest:- I will find out what's happening in this town. I will find out what is affecting these people. I have had a long career already and I have dedicated my life to the protection of the American people. If there is something, or someone, in this town that has a problem with that I can guarantee it's going to be in for one hell of a fight'

With that he turned to leave, only to hear the man call after him. 'It's your funeral.' But George didn't care about that. He'd seen people like that before, back a long time ago and more recently. Little men thrust into impossible positions and the only way they survived was by keeping their heads down. By not being there when it all went wrong. In his own way Black was trying to be helpful, by not rocking the boat and trying to convince George to do the same he probably thought he was helping others as well as himself.

George didn't agree and if just half of what he just heard was true he was going to have to get his grand-children the hell out of here.

* * *

Buffy didn't have time to panic. She didn't have time to think. She had to get Dawn away and fast. Grabbing her sister's wrist she ran. She heard Willow cast some sort of spell to buy them time, but it wouldn't slow the hell-goddess alone.

Dawn couldn't hope to keep up with Slayer speed so she was more dragging her sister than anything else. The only thing going through Buffy's mind was the first time she had met Glory. The crazy monster had thrown her around like a bag of potatoes. She was the Slayer, but that meant nothing against a god.

'Buffy… Buffy… I can't!' Dawn cried out, but the Slayer couldn't dare stop. Not now. Not that Glory knew. She could never stop.

She'd been right, whatever spell Willow cast hadn't slowed Glory for long. Buffy barely had time to pull Dawn closer when she had caught up with them. 'Well that was fun.' The mad Goddess smirked.

'Get away!' Buffy hissed back.

'That's it? that's all you've got to say? Come on, you've got to have something more than just "get away"!'

Out of the corner of her eye Buffy realised that by some twist of luck Glory was standing in the road. 'How about this; Truck.'

'Truck?' Glory asked moments before she was hit by one. It wouldn't slow her for long, but if Buffy's luck held out it would be long enough. Picking up Dawn Buffy ran like she had never ran before.

* * *

George got out of his meeting with the town council. After some resistance Doctor Black's prediction was right on the money. With the Chief of Police, Fire Captain and a couple of judges all resigning on the spot. The Mayor was eager to hand over authority, but wanted to make sure all their bases were covered. Unfortunately for them, and the hospital administrator, the emergency powers George had been granted meant he couldn't accept their letters. they were all going to remain in post, he just superseded all of them.

Officially he needed their experience and familiarity with the situation close at hand At least that was the idea. In reality he planned to keep them close until he knew if it was simple incompetence they were trying to cover up or something worse.

'Where now sir?' His driver asked.

'Back to my grand-daughter's house. I'm afraid I'm going to have to make arrangements for their safety.'

'Understood sir.'

George spent the drive there looking out the window, paying close attention to the people he passed. This was small town America, right on the Californian coast. It should have been full of trendy types, the fashionable and pretty sunning themselves. Instead he saw something else. Before he hadn't really recognised it, but now it was impossible to miss. This town was a battle zone, the civilians caught in the crossfire. The shops had armoured security shutters, relying on multiple heavy padlocks to lock their double strength doors. A lack of police cruisers, a lack of police presence altogether, just added to the oppressive atmosphere.

They left what classed as the town centre and headed into the suburbs. Away from the uncomfortable amount of cemeteries and abandoned warehouses. The atmosphere lifted, but only on the surface. Beneath that fragile illusion the people were just as harassed, just as in danger. It was no wonder his grand daughters were suspicious of him, a stranger, in a place like this.

How it existed in the American mainland in this day and age was a mystery and one he was going to solve.

The car pulled up at Revello Drive and George got out before the driver could open the door for him. 'This won't take long.' He said quickly and strode up the path. Where before it had felt like a ten mile march now it wasn't even four steps to get from the road to the front door. He knocked, cursing that he'd forgotten his hat and then feeling embarrassed for his vanity.

There was no answer.

He knocked again, harder and louder. There was still no answer.

Before kicking down the door George checked his watch. It was the middle of the afternoon, both of them could be out. He waited for what felt like hours, but in reality was probably only a couple of minutes before knocking a final time.

The house was empty. George resisted the urge to try and look through the windows and took a step back. It could have been a blessing in disguise, if Buffy had inherited her grandmother's stubbornness his insistence that she and her friends left town might not have gone down well.

Not that he was going to let that stop him. It might be a gross waste of resources but George promised himself as soon as Jack and SG-1 arrived he was going to send them, and as many marines as he could spare, to pick the girls up and escort them to the nearest safe place.

They could hate him as much as they wanted, this was no place for them.

* * *

Dawn told the story of how they escaped, Buffy was there and she didn't believe it.

Somehow, someway Glory hadn't followed and Buffy was half way home before she realised that would have been the first place the minions would look. Same went for Spike's crypt. That left Giles's and Xander's to hideout in. With Xander's apartment being the closest and having better security at the door the choice was easy. Especially with Anya home at the moment to let them in.

A couple of quick phone calls later and the rest of the gang arrived. Including an apologetic Willow and Tara. No one blamed Willow's girlfriend as it wasn't her fault. They could only hope the poor young woman had done all the damage she could.

'Excellent!' Giles cheered, 'I knew with training you could beat her.' He applauded after Dawn described the moment the truck hit Glory.

'It wasn't me.' She admitted, looking out the window for any hint the psychotic hell-god was coming. 'We got lucky. That truck couldn't have slowed her down for long.'

'Well maybe next time…'

'Next time?' She turned to face her Watcher. 'Next time she shows up she's going to beat me to a pulp and take Dawn! We can't stop her! I've tried, Willow's tried, hell even Spike tried and we all got our asses handed to us! Now she knows about Dawn there's nothing to stop her!'

'Buffy, we can't be defeatist. if we give into despair…'

'We lose. I know, but… Giles I can't win!' she admitted 'We've tried and failed.'

'What do you suggest?' He pressed.

'I… I don't know.' Buffy admitted. 'Run? Hide?' She looked around at her friends, to see if they had a better idea. No one liked it but Buffy could see it was the only option anyone could think of.

'Run where?' Xander asked.

'Fight how?' Buffy countered. 'I don't like it anymore than you guys, but until someone has a better idea I'm thinking the more distance the better.'

Giles, however, was frowning at her. 'What about your Grandfather?' he asked carefully.

Buffy blinked, she'd almost completely forgotten about "Grandpa George". 'What about him?'

'He's a two star Airforce General, with resources and connections we could only dream of.' He explained. 'I'm almost certain that if asked correctly he would be more than willing to help.'

'Wait, really?" Dawn asked, her eyes wide.

'What?' Buffy asked, obviously missing something.

Dawn pouted, 'I didn't get a good look, but he's really a two star General?

'I guess.' Buffy shrugged. 'I never got the whole army rank thing.'

'Airforce.' Giles, Dawn and Xander corrected at the same time.

'Whatever. You guys remember what happened with the Initiative. The military get involved things go wrong.' She reminded them. 'I'll… I'll talk to him, but I don't want to drag him into all this. It makes it all… Too complicated.' She admitted.

'I understand' Giles nodded. 'So what are you thinking?'

Buffy frowned, there than getting herself, Dawn and anyone near them as far away as possible she hadn't a clue. Blinking hard she realised there was someone on that list that wasn't with them right now and that they were just the person to help with this problem.

* * *

'How the hell did this happen?' Snapped one of the men at the table. 'We'd tied everything up. There were no lose ends, buried the evidence and had the only people that could connect us to this mess on a different continent! Now somehow Hammond and his minions are digging up everything!'

The other man at the table shook his head. 'We must have missed something!'

The woman, who was normally as cool as ice, looked more than a little flustered. Everyone there did. They'd know from the outset that The Initiative project was a risk. Every time their little group had tried to get involved with the Sub-terrestrials in the past things had gone wrong, eventually. This time they thought they could just get away with it, only for them to have failed spectacularly. 'What about the civilians?'

'What about them?' the first man asked her.

'Phone taps, surveillance, the usual. Aside from continuing to operate as a paramilitary force against Sub-Terrestrials they've stayed quiet.'

'They survive?' The second man asked, surprised.

'One death, the Mother of one of them I believe.'

The woman lent back. 'Unusual. Groups like that don't last this long.'

'You don't think those stories are true do you?'

She laughs bitterly. 'No, of course not. What I'm worried about is if Hammond makes contact with them and convinces them to tell him what happened…' She left it hanging.

The second man shook his head. 'Our analysis shows, like most of their kind, they have an intense dislike of authority figures. It's why we couldn't trust to recruit any of them in the first place.'

'I suggest we double our surveillance all the same. Find out exactly what is happening in that god forsaken place.'

'And if Hammond does discover we have a connection to what happened there?' she asked archly.

'Then incidents are likely to happen. We may have to enact Sanctuary.' There was a deadly silence as the other two badly hid their shock before nodding in agreement.

End Chapter Four


	6. Chapter Five

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Five

Giles, along with Xander, Willow, Tara and Anya were half crouched behind a dumpster opposite his store. They couldn't afford to be seen outside the Magic Box. If Glory's minions were still observing the place, nor could they be too far away for the same reason.

The only way to stay hidden was to be just out of the way enough to be overlooked. Who knew how long the half decomposed underlings had been shadowing them, or just how omniscient Glory was in her current state. There was indications that Gods, even demigods, had abilities beyond all reason. Just because the banished and imprisoned Hell-Goddess hadn't demonstrated such abilities didn't mean she was without them.

He looked to Tara. The poor girl was looking up into the blue sky of a late afternoon in California with a mindless smile still stuck to her face. All his training and experience told him the most humane thing to do was quietly snap her neck and put her out of her misery. The very idea that some part deep down inside of the child knew the horror she had experienced was almost too much to bare. Only Willow's unwavering love stayed his hand and he thanked both of the young witches for that. He already had too many stains on his conscience, he didn't want to have to rationalise any more.

As he tried to endure yet another tirade from Anya he heard the should of an engine approaching. After a moment what could best be described as a winnebago appeared. It's windows crudely blacked out and a cloud of grey smoke billowing out of the back. It looked like the sort of thing a scrapyard would reject for being unsalvageable and smelt strongly of boiling break fluid.

It pulled up in front of them and the door opened. As he feared it was Buffy. Dawn was already inside, loading the cupboards with supplies they had already picked up. Buffy checked the coast was clear before waving them all in. Giles swallowed his pride and helped Willow with Tara. Half inside the reason for the state of the windows was clear, Spike was in the driver's seat.

'What's he doing here?' Xander asked with a growl.

'I asked him to come.' Buffy replied in a voice that brooked no argument. Again Giles fought his instincts. For better or worse he trusted his Slayer and despite all previous evidence Spike had not only proven himself to be useful but loyal to Buffy and their mismatched family.

Still the familiar weight of his emergency stake wasn't unwelcome. He was careful to keep himself between the seat and the others, incase of another betrayal. Xander was doing the same and once again he was forced to re-evaluate the young man's resolve. Giles was not particularly proud of the fact he once dismissed the self titled Zeppo as an irritant at best.

'That's it. Let's go.' Buffy ordered

Spike looked over his shoulder. 'Alright kiddies, Daddy's putting the hammer down.' He joked back before driving off.

'Watch out.' Buffy snapped leaning over his shoulder. 'I saw a whole lot of police and army guys earlier. I don't know what they are doing, but I don't want to get caught up in anything.'

'Where are we going?' Giles asked, unsure as he had been left out of this part of the plan.

'East.' Was Buffy's less than helpful response. He wasn't surprised, at this moment putting as much distance between themselves and Glory was the best option. The problem was what happened next.

'And then what?' He asked, trying not to sound too judgemental.

'I'll let you know.' She said back, grimly. Giles let the discussion drop. Instead choosing to help Willow put away what she had brought for Tara.

'Bollocks.' Spike swore roughly before turing the vehicle around and taking them down another street.

'What's wrong?' four or five different voices asked at once.

'Bloody police, they're all over the place.' He cursed again before weaving in and out of side streets.

This got Giles's attention. 'What do you mean, all over the place?'

'Looks like their setting up road blocks.' Buffy explained.

'What, why?' Giles asked, his mind racing.

Buffy pushed past him to hover over Spike's shoulder. 'Don't know, don't care. Nothing to do with us.'

* * *

Dawn looked around the inside of the rickety old piece of junk. Her friends, her family, were there. Even Spike. Sure he was probably only helping to try and get inside Buffy's pants, like Xander said, but he was still part of their family.

And here they were, rocking from side to side, running away from their home. Leaving their jobs, their lives behind, just to save her. Why? Why was she so important? Someone who wasn't even a person not one year ago? Because she was Buffy's sister.

They fought, they bickered and argued. There were times when both of them had sworn they would be better off without the other and now. Now the only thing they had was each other and those around them. While Xander was obviously trying not to vomit Dawn slipped out and into the bedroom in the back.

Buffy was supposed to be planing what to do next in there. Instead she was kinda just looking at a blank wall. 'Hey.' Dawn got her attention.

'Hey.'

'I think Anya's going to try to cook. Want to watch the tears and recriminations?'

Buffy gave her a small smile; 'Maybe later.'

Dawn looked back over her shoulder, but there was something she had to say before leafing her sister alone again. 'Thanks.'

Buffy blinked, 'What for.'

She shrugged back. 'Well, you know. Everything.' She admitted.

Her sister rolled her eyes. 'Yeah, running away. Doing a great job.'

'Yo… You are.' Dawn tried to assure her but Buffy just shook her head.

'I'm the Slayer, the full mystical warrior thing.' She told her. 'Big bads are supposed to flee from me. Not the other way round.'

'You're not fleeing.' Dawn tried to support her. 'You're… Moving at a brisk pace.'

'Yeah, away. Quaintly referred in polite circles as the big scared runaway.' Buffy corrected her.

Dawn had rarely seen her sister so lost. 'It's not. This, this is the most amazing thing anyone…' She stopped, it sounded so silly admitting to it. 'It's smart.' She told her after a moments thought. 'We've tried Buffy, we've done everything, but Glory's too strong. You said it, we try and fight we die. This is the only way. She'd go after everyone. The only thing we can do is run.' Dawn admitted.

'Is it?' Buffy asked, almost herself. 'Could I have fought harder, was there something I could have done? Something I still can do?'

'Then you'll do it.' Dawn told her. 'I know you will. You're a superhero.'

Buffy snorted at that. 'Yeah, some superhero. It just keeps coming, you know. Glory, Riley, Tara… Mom.' He voice cracked a little.

'You missed out magically appearing sisters with years worth of false memories.' Dawn teased.

'Yeah, but that's a horror left to a trained therapist.' Buffy quipped back.

The two of them looked at each other for a moment and at the same time shook their heads. 'Nah.'

'Speaking of suddenly appearing family members…' Dawn took a chance mentioning it.

'General George.' Buffy nodded. 'When all this is done, I don't know. If he still wants to talk, you want to meet him?'

Dawn could only shrug. 'I don't know. I guess, if he wants to meet me. I mean what do we know about him?'

Buffy thought about that for a moment. 'Well, he's mom's dad, but he spent all his time flying planes. Giles and Xander think he must have done something important, but I don't see it. He ran away too, after all, and not to save anyone.'

Dawn thought about that for a moment. 'Well he kinda did, right? I mean you don't get to be a General in the Airforce without doing something, Like Giles and Xander said. And if he helped people…' She left it hanging there.

'Forgetting Riley? He left, not even a word since.'

'Yeah, and George is here. Well there.'

'Years later.' Buffy pointed out, but she stopped and looked away. Dawn knew what she was going to say, even without saying it

'When we need him.' She prodded.

Buffy shook her head. 'I don't have his card. I think he gave me one, but I left it at home.'

Dawn laughed. 'Typical, but look on the bright side. At least things can't get much worse.'

Buffy looked up at her. Dawn knew it was a stupid thing to say, but before she could take it back an arrow broke through the back wall.

Jack caught up with Carter in her lab. 'You ready to go?' He asked, obviously she wasn't.

'Will be, just give me a minute sir.' His second in command said distractedly. Not even looking up from her computer screen.

'Found something?' He asked coming to look of over her shoulder. Unsurprising it was full of numbers that Jack couldn't begin to understand.

'Just statistics sir. They make for some grim reading.' she changed the screen. 'Sunnydale has more grave sites per square mile than anywhere else in the country.' Carter looked up. 'And they're all full. Sir, the town's mortality rate is way outside of statistics.'

'It's not the only thing.' Jack reminded her. 'We've got to go, you can brief me in the air.'

Carter blinked and then nodded. 'I'll transfer what I've got to my laptop and see you up top.'

'Well hurry up. I'm going to check on the others and I don't want to keep Hammond, or your dad, waiting.' He told his second.

'Yes sir.' she agreed and turned back to her computer. Jack headed out of the room and off to see Daniel. He was taking nearly as long.

* * *

George Hammond was once again at Sunnydale Town Hall. The bureaucrats and paper pushers, as well as anyone in any position of authority, were bending over backwards to make way for him.

Almost as quickly as they were trying to get out of town. It felt like he'd been handed the captaincy of the Titanic and the crew were making a dash for the last few lifeboats. Even the commander of the small army base nearby had tried to pass responsibility off.

Were Walter with him he'd have asked the ever efficient officer to dig deeper. Something very strange was happening in this town, and it wasn't just this latest crisis. Like the Hospital Administrator had more than hinted at the history of this town was one mystery on top of another and everyone was either too blind or too scared to admit to what was really going on.

That wasn't going to stop him from finding out. What might stop him might be the press. Someone had to have tipped them off, the local affiliates were demanding a press conference and word was the major broadcasters were on their way.

'General Hammond, General Hamomnd!' One officious little man shoved a microphone in his face. 'Is it true that you have declared marshal law across the town.'

'I am afraid so. Until the current crisis has been resolved it is the only way to maintain the mandatory Quarantine. No one, except authorised and trained personnel, can enter the town, or immediate area.'

'Why?' Another reporter asked. 'We understood that this so called emergency was nothing of the sort.'

'So did we. But as the situation continued it became obvious something had to be done. The quarantine is just a precaution at this stage but a necessary one.' He assured them.

'By the US Military taking command? And why would the Airforce be in charge? Wouldn't it be a duty for the National Guard?' The first reporter demanded.

'I command a facility that specialises in the research and development of new technologies and resources.' He told them. 'It has been recognised that my expertise, and those of my people, is required to identify the cause of this emergency and bring it to a swift end.'

A third reporter behind them paled. 'Military research, are you saying this is some sort of attack?'

That caused a near panicked babble to erupt. George waved his hands and raised his voice to be heard. 'Nothing of the kind!' He bellowed, finally getting their attention. 'There is no evidence of any kind of attack, that would be considered a worse case scenario.'

'So it is a scenario you are considering?'

George took a deep breath, this was what he hated. Clever people trying to twist his words. He just didn't have a choice here. 'Not seriously. We have examined the possibility and it does not look to be the case. However, it would be a dereliction of duty not to prepare for all scenarios, no matter how remote.'

'So it is possible?'

'Until the cause of this crisis is confirmed we must explore every possibility.' He said forcefully. 'To that effect I am requesting a general curfew at this time. All residents of Sunnydale are asked to stay at home. This is not an order. We will not be arresting people in the street, but it is best if the public can remain where they are. Teams from my command are arriving shortly and they will be conducting a census as well as making sure everyone has enough supplies and all needs will be seen to.

That seemed to calm at least a few of them down, for now.

'I'm sorry, can you clarify just what this crisis is?' One of them asked. 'We've only been told it's something medical?'

George shook his head. 'For reasons yet unknown a large number of people in the Sunnydale area have been afflicted with similar… Symptoms. We are yet to isolate the exact cause, but we do know that it is contained to the immediate area.' Deciding it was better to bite the bullet he added. 'Symptoms include extreme disorientation, confusion and sometimes a pattern of bruising around the face and head. The symptoms are none lethal, however in that state those effected can become delusional and even, in extreme cases, dangerous to themselves and others. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do.'

With that he pushed past the reporters and into the Council Chamber, where he was bombarded with another load of questions.

* * *

Janet directed the orderlies to load the equipment into the ship. Inside General Carter was making final preparations. As the last scanner was loaded and secured she looked over it all. Some of the most advanced neurological equipment on the planet, one was fresh from Area 51, reversed from something SG4 had found on a mission a couple of years ago.

If it was Machello's anti-Goa'uld tech responsible it was the best chance anyone had to find it. If it was a Goa'uld poison, then it would leave something in the blood and that was why she was going herself. Of all the people in the SGC she had the most experience with this sort of thing and knew what she was looking for.

Now she just had to wait for the others. Despite Jack O'Neill's usual complaints Janet wasn't surprised that it was Daniel who was first to the Cargo transport. 'Janet.' he nodded to her.

'Daniel.' she looked at him closely. 'What's wrong?'

He looked uncomfortable, something was bugging him and it wasn't hard to guess what. He hitched the big gun strapped to his vest. She'd seen him armed like that before and no matter how competent he was with firearms these days it never looked right on the acheologist. 'I'm alright. It's just, well going to other worlds fighting Goa'uld is one thing, but going to California? Like this? Doesn't feel right.'

'This won't be the first time you've gone on a mission on Earth Daniel.' She pointed out.

'Doesn't mean I have to like it.' he shrugged. Janet had to admit he had a point. Teal'c was next up, a beenie hat pulled low to hide the gold tattoo on his forehead. Janet wasn't sure it worked, the big Jaffa was going to gain attention wherever he was. Still it was something. He also had an automatic weapon, rather than his usual staff. Again not to draw too much attention, but she could tell he didn't like it. Rumour was he'd become a good shot with normal guns, but still preferred his staff and zat. Speaking of Janet could see the coiled energy weapon at his hip.

His pack looked a lot smaller than theirs, but that could just be a trick. He was, after all, a lot taller than either Doctor. With his usual stoic attitude he simply nodded at each of them and also waited.

Eventually, the sun was almost setting, Colonel O'Neill and Sam arrived. Followed by Sergeant Harriman, the leaders of a couple of other SG teams and Siler of all people. O'Neill was in the middle of giving them orders. 'Walter, you're going with SG3. There's a small army base just outside of the town. You need to get there and set up operations, Hammond's going to need a forward operations base and I don't think we want to be stepping over local bureaucrats.'

'Yes sir.'

'Major Davis should be on his way, if any of them do start kicking up a fuss use him.'

'Yes sir'

'Now Siler, I'm putting you in command of the SGC. Lock it down, no missions out, no probes, nothing. Have returning teams go through all the usual stuff and wait. Everyone knows their jobs, just keep the lights on until either Hammond or myself tell you otherwise. We'll check in. Otherwise I don't care if word comes from the President himself that gate remains closed on this end. Got me.'

Siler nodded back.

Say what you want about the Colonel being childish on occasion, but when it came to command he was professional. 'Fraiser, you got everything?' he asked.

'I've loaded my equipment and my staff are already on General Carter's cargo ship. We're as ready as we'll ever be.'

O'Neill looked over her shoulder. 'Jakob?'

Sam's Dad was helping her on board 'Ready to go Jack. Just give the word.' He told them.

'Then let's go.'

End Chapter Five


	7. Chapter Six

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Six

Buffy held Giles's hand. He'd been hit with a spear during the attack on the RV. She'd run to stop this from happening. To keep her friends, her family, safe and here was Giles. Bleeding and there was nothing she could do.

Oh, she knew how to clean the odd scratch and deal with a bruise or two. At a pinch she could probably do something about a cut, but this was something serious. So serious if Buffy didn't try Giles could die.

She knew what he'd told her, but she wasn't ready to let him go. Buffy's mother had been taken, ripped, from her and her father couldn't even be bothered to call her back. She wasn't going to lose Giles.

Not now.

The door opened and in came Ben. It was a risk calling him, but they needed help and, simply, she could remember his number and not her Grandfather's. Besides, trying to explain the whole hiding in a disused gas station surrounded by medieval knights it was a lot easier to bluff a young doctor from Sunnydale than a career military guy.

Buffy watched helplessly as he gave Giles a once over. 'It's bad and deep.' He said, 'But it could be a lot worse. I'm going have to clean the wound, make sure nothing serous was caught and then stitch you up.'

Giles grunted. 'Get on with it then.'

'This will only be temporary. There's only so much I can do here and you've already lost a lot of blood…'

'Stitch me up and I won't lose too much more, will I.'

Ben opened his bag. 'I should have brought a local anaesthetic…'

'Bloody hell! Just do it or give me the blasted thread!'

Buffy caught Spike's smirk out of the corner of her eye. She decided to offset Giles's bad patient with some kindness. 'Thanks for coming.' Buffy offered a smile.

* * *

Glory awoke in a very grimy, not at all fabulous, place. It was not the sort of place she liked, covered in mortal debris and junk. Like so many other places on this waste of a world.

Even her so called home was barely habitable, but all that would change. Sooner than she had hoped. Before her were the Slayer, her pathetic group of mewing mortals and one very special little Key.

'Well What do you know, looks like little Ben did something right!' She gloated as they cowered before her.

'The Beast!' swore a figure tied to a pillar in the room. She recognised the insect. It was one of those pesky knights. This was better than she could have dreamed of, everything she wanted in one place.

'Hey look, it's Gregor.' Glory chuckled, remembering how his knights had swarmed her previous minions months earlier. She'd lost some of he most loyal, not to mention least smelly, servants that day. Picking up a disk next to her she threw it with a good amount of her strength behind it.

The disk was blunt, but with enough force anything was sharp enough. It embedded itself in his guts, killing the mortal. 'Now it's not!'

The Vampire and the Slayer tried to rush her, but this close Glory wasn't going let them stop her. Neither of them were a match for her strength she threw them both aside

As the humans gasped helplessly Glory moved, grabbing her Key and pulling it close. She could already feel Ben clawing at the cage she'd dumped him in. As much fun as it would be to kill the Slayer and her kin here and now she couldn't be sure how long she had before the cursed wards bottled her up again.

Last thing she wanted was that bleeding heart Ben feeling for the little snot-brat and letting them escape again.

'Buffy!' The Key howled for her sister, but the Slayer wasn't fast enough. Big surprise there.

Dragging the Key outside Glory came face to face with a horde of the Knights. At least that explained why Gregor was in there. Still it wasn't like they could stop her. Two steps outside the hovel she'd found her Key in was some sort of barrier. A shield, put up probably by that witch.

It didn't even slow her down. The only thing that did was the struggling prize. It would have been so easy just to break her. Snap her fragile little bones, like she did with the Knights. A blink of an eye is all to would take, only she couldn't.

She needed her precious Key and wasn't so sure if killing it would mean she would never get home.

Slaughtering her way through the hapless knights she ran, dragging her prize back to the bright lights of the town on the horizon.

It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

Jack was looking over Jacob's shoulder and out across the Californian Desert. He'd flown over these parts before, in an old F16, but there was something strange about doing it in a Cargo ship.

Nearly as strange as not being the pilot.

'Relax Jack. We'll get there in plenty of…' the Tok'Ra stopped mid-sentence. there was a flash of light off to one side. 'What was that?'

'What was what?' Jack asked as a heads up display activated. It showed a top down map of the desert. Ahead was the city but to the left an icon was flashing.

'Energy pulse, looks like a force field of some sort collapsed.' Jacob answered.

Jack didn't need to be told a force field in the middle of nowhere was suspicious. With a possible Jaffa attack force in the area it was more than that. 'Get us down there.'

'Jack, are you sure that's a good idea. I was reading a lot of lifeforms down there, but they seem to be vanishing.'

He pulled on his tactical vest, the rest of his team already following his lead. 'Just keep cloaked. I'll take SG1 and the doc for recon. Get this stuff to Hammond's contact at the hospital and they can start running tests.'

Doc Frasier looked at him for a second. 'Why you need me?'

'Disappearing lifesigns. If they're cloaked Carter can figure it out.'

'And if they're not you're going to need a doctor to do a field report.' She finished, picking up her own kit. She didn't have a weapon, but the doctor had remembered her field medical bag.

'How many lifesigns are we looking at Dad?' Carter asked, looking at the display.

'Hard to tell. More that twenty at first, but there's only a half dozen right now.' Jacob told them, 'Jack, I don't like this. If something is killing people down there shouldn't you have back up?'

'No time and you need to get to Hammond' Jack explained, checking his gun. 'It's Recon only.'

Despite Jacob's concerns he landed the the cargo ship half a click from the new target. Using the rings would have meant dropping the cloak, and stealth would go right out the window showing a big golden spaceship.

Stepping out of a cloaked ship was one of those things Jack would never get used to. One moment you're in a big gold room, something that Liberace would think was a little too much, next he was in the cool desert. The clear night sky above and what looked like an abandoned gas station the only things for miles.

Out of nowhere came Teal'c, followed by Daniel and Fraiser, with Carter bring up the rear. A moment later you could feel, if not see, the ship take off. Leaving them there.

Jack double checked his gun. The mag was full and safety on standby. You didn't want to be moving on uneven ground, in bad light, with a live weapon. One trip with your finger on the trigger and who knows what you'd hit. Speaking of Jack was more than surprised to notice Teal'c didn't have his staff, but instead was also carrying a P90. He'd brought the weapon with him, so something must have convinced the big Jaffa to go with something a little more automatic.

He wasn't going to complain, but it was an unspoken criticism of Jack's insistence on checking this out. Both Teal'c and Jacob were probably right, but this Sunnydale place was full of questions and Jack was going to be damned if he wasn't going to get an answer to at least one of them.

With a few sharp hand gestures Jack silently gave his team their orders. Only to receive blank looks from anyone without the rank of Major. He waved them closer before whispering; 'Look, you two go with T that way! Carter and Me go around and approach from the south and stay quiet.' He told them.

'Okay Jack.'

'Quiet!' Jack breathed and watched them leave. Between them the doc and Daniel could have made enough noise to wake the dead. You'd think after five years at least Jackson would have learnt how to move somewhat silently.

He deliberately ignored Carter's badly hidden smirk and slinked off in the opposite direction.

Turned out he was being overly paranoid for all the wrong reasons. There were a number of oil drums that had been used as braziers, which had to be one of the stupidest things you could do. Not only did it ruin your night-sight gazing at a blazing fire, but it also set out a beacon for anyone to see. Might as well light up a neon sign saying where you were, drawing attention.

From the looks of things they ha drawn the wrong kind. Around the fires were bodies. Several were dismembered, others lying in very uncomfortable ways. All of them very dead.

Jack rested his finger on the trigger of his weapon and edged closer to get a better look at the nearest corpse. They wore some sort of old style armour. It wasn't Jaffa, but the guy wearing it had a tattoo on their forehead. It wasn't like any other Jack had seen,, but looked suitably Jaffa-ish.

A quick glance to Carter told him she saw the same thing. He kept her covered as she checked the body. He wasn't the doctor, but the sword in the guy's chest was his guess for cause of death. She wasn't looking for that, she was checking for a pouch.

She did a pat down and shook her head.

That made no sense, a Jaffa without a snake in their gut? If it was a Jaffa. The sword wasn't exactly alien. Wasn't what you'd call a normal day either. Before he could come up with a decision about what to do next someone stepped out of the station.

They wore black, a long leather trench coat, but stood out because of their dyed white hair. They quickly pulled out a cigarette and lit up. Jack caught their features in the lighter. Pale, with strong cheekbones and, most importantly, no tattoo.

'Jaffa?' Carter whispered

Jack shook his head, but as he looked back something had changed. The guy was looking around, as if he heard the Major. Which should have been impossible, Jack barely could and he was right next to her.

'Spike, what you doing?' someone called out. A young man in a shirt and jeans followed the Billy Idol lookalike.

Billy hushed him and kept looking, throwing the cigarette off to one side. 'Someone's out there.' They said in a thick British accent.

Jack cursed silently before rising from his crouch. P90 up to his shoulder, but the barrel still pointing down. 'Alright, stand too. Both of you.' Carter followed him up.

'Oh sodding hell!' The brit swore while the kid raised his hands in surrender. They didn't look armed but he wasn't going to risk it in the half light.

'United States Airforce.' Jack told them. catching Teal'c and the others coming from the other direction. 'Identify yourselves.'

They looked at each other before shrugging. 'I'm Xander, Xander Harris and this is Spike.'

'You want to tell me what we've just walked into here, Harris?

'Early practice for halloween?' They said quickly.

'Want to try again.' Jack pressed, unimpressed with the lie if slightly surprised at how quickly they had come up with it.

The two looked at each other. 'It's a… long story.'

'We've got time.' Jack pressed.

'Is there anyone else inside?' Daniel asked, 'We have a doctor with us if someone's injured.' Jack tried to give his friend a warning look. Trying to make friends with natives on P3X-whatever was one thing, but this was California for crying out loud.

'Really?' The boy, Harris, asked and Fraiser showed her medical supplies. He half turned to the station. 'Guys! we've got people out here! They've got a doctor with them!' He dropped his arms. 'We've got five more people inside, some need help. Please.'

The Brit didn't look happy about it but stepped away from the door. 'Teal'c, Carter; stay out here. Check the bodies. I want a head count. We're going inside.'

The inside looked much like Jack expected. Run down and abandoned. What he hadn't expected was the kids. All but one of the people there were the same age as Harris. They were on the defensive the moment he came in. None of them looked armed. at best they were a bunch of college kids in the wrong place at the wrong time. Most of them girls. 'Alright, lets start again.' He lowered his weapon. 'My name's Jack O'Neill. Colonel, United States Airforce. This is Daniel and the lady is Doctor Fraiser. You want to tell us what your doing here, or what happened out there?'

'The army?' a girl asked. She had brown hair and was helping an older man with greying hair stand.

'Airforce.' he corrected

'Whats the difference?' she asked, sounding confused.

'Airforce don't spend twenty minutes trying to tie their shoelaces.' Harris quipped before Jack could come up with something more polite.

'Airforce?' the eldest asked in another English accent. Not quite as thick, but certainly from the UK. 'You wouldn't happen to work for a General Hammond would you.'

'He's my CO.' Jack confirmed, 'How do you know him?'

While the limy could keep his poker face the kids weren't half as good at it. The all looked at another girl off to one side. She was sat there, a blank expression on her face, staring at thin air.

Fraiser saw the same thing he did and headed over to her. The doc quickly shone a pen light in their eye. 'I'm getting a cortical response, but she's otherwise catatonic.'

'Think it's what we're here for?' Jack asked doubtful. There was something eerily familiar about that look he couldn't place right away.

'Possible, but it doesn't fit the symptoms. Could be a new development. Could be something else entirely.

Leaving her to do her job Jack turned to the civilians again. 'Right kids, time for real answers, what happened and how does she know…' He stopped, a sudden thought coming to him. 'That's Buffy Summers isn't it.'

'The General's Granddaughter?' hissed Fraiser.

'You're going to tell me now, what the hell happened to her. Why you people were running and just what happened out there!' Jack ordered.

The civilians looked at each other, guiltily as his patience wore down. He was a heartbeat away from calling for a truck load of Military police and slapping them all in handcuffs when Billy Idol swore. 'Bugger it! We might as well tell them. The grandpa deserves to know!' he looked at Jack. 'And we're going to need all the help we can get!'

* * *

Sam finished off with the last body. She had eight, Teal'c seven, that made fifteen. Fifteen humans, with Jaffa like tattoos dead in the middle of nowhere. Not just dead but killed. Brutally. Blunt force trauma was the main cause of death. With stabbing a close second.

'Teal'c, do you recognise the symbol?'

'I do not. It is not Goa'uld.'

'You think it's one of these people the General saw and mistook them?' she asked, half knowing the answer.

'Indeed, however I do think our presence here is necessary.' he rumbled, looking around with a grim expression.

Sam frowned. 'Why you say that?'

'I only see these people. Not who killed them. If those inside are not the threat who did this?'

Sam looked again. Good question. Before she could think of an answer the Colonel stormed out of the station. He looked furious. 'Sir?'

'What we got Carter?'

'Fifteen humans, killed where they stood. Fast brutal and nasty. she reported. 'What's the situation in there?'

'Civilians trying to get out of Sunnydale, you can listen in while I make a report.' he scowled again before pulling out his radio. 'O'Neill here, Jacob you hear me?'

'I read you Jack.' Sam's dad answered.

'You met up with Hammond yet?'

There was a moment before the General's voice came back. 'Just now, Jacob said you encountered something strange?'

'Small group of civilians, they were trying to flee Sunnydale. They were being chased by, and I quote, a crazy woman that thinks she's a god.'

Sam felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. That sounded goa'uld like.

'They got jumped by some jokers in medieval armour and took shelter. The snakehead caught up with them and grabbed one. Said something about a sacrifice. They were taking care of their injured when we arrived.'

Another pause. 'Understood Jack. Are you confirming a foothold scenario?' General Hammond asked

'Yes sir, from what I've been told I am.' he stopped and looked at Sam. 'There's more, sir. The civilians. They include your granddaughters.'

Sam gasped. 'Buffy, Dawn?' Hammond asked quickly. 'Were either of them hurt?'

'Buffy Summers is catatonic sir, we think she's been infected by whatever happening around here. The gould took Dawn. Best guess, back to Sunnydale. Sorry Sir.'

End Chapter Six


	8. Chapter Seven

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Seven

Giles had expected some fall out from them leaving Sunnydale without warning Buffy's grandfather, but to send what appeared to be a special forces Colonel was overkill.

They were lucky Giles had been trying to come up with a smokescreen in case the General had caught up with them. Passing Glory off as deranged with inexplicable resources wasn't original but would keep the unbelievable truth hidden. What worried him was just how accepting they'd been of it. As if they were expecting something similar.

The man called Daniel was talking in hushed tones to the doctor, who had just finished taking Buffy's blood pressure. He turned back to the rest of them. 'While Jack, um, calls in to the General could you at least tell us your names?'

There was something familiar about the man Giles couldn't place. Willow did the introductions, quickly skipping over Spike and trying to distract them from Tara. When she came to him he ignored his wound and stood straight, offering his hand. 'Rupert Giles.'

Daniel shook it before freezing. 'Rupert Giles? Professor Rupert Giles, head of celtic and european folklore at the British museum?'

Giles blinked, 'I had a change of career…' he began before blinking in shock. 'Hang on, good lord! Doctor Daniel Jackson? We met, briefly, while you were doing research into your thesis.'

'Yes, I remember.' Dr Jackson said, smiling. 'You warned me that my findings wouldn't be well received by your fellows.'

'It's ironic that the Ancient Egyptian department is perhaps even more conservative than it's subject matter.' Giles chuckled and Dr Jackson had the grace to join in.

'You two want a room?' Spike snarked, but Giles ignored him.

'You know each other?' The MD asked coming over.

Giles nodded, 'Dr Jackson was preparing his, shall we say unconventional, interpretation on the earliest discoveries of Ancient Egypt. He was cross checking some things with where I was working. I tried to convince him not to publish everything.'

'And I didn't.' Dr Jackson admitted with a wince. 'Only an early draft had already gotten out.'

Giles could see his friends weren't keeping up with them. 'I think a bit of an explanation in needed. You see about six or seven years ago Dr Jackson became convinced that Ancient Egyptian culture was a lot older and far more advanced than otherwise accepted.' Giles bit back a wince, he'd almost forgot about his injury.

Doctor Frasier stepped up. She'd noticed. 'Right, let me have a look.' Uncomfortably Giles let her pull up his shirt. 'We had a young doctor here earlier. He left, shortly before everything happened.' Giles frowned. He couldn't actually recall how young Ben left, or when.

'So what happened?' Willow asked, holding Tara's hand. Keeping her calm. 'With Dr Jackson I mean.'

The man in question picked up the story. 'Well as Professor Giles hinted at my colleagues in the field were not as open to my ideas as I hoped. Especially not to the idea that Egyptian culture was possibly descended from an older, more advanced, civilisation we had yet to discover. I made the mistake of not ruling out aliens, which was ridiculous. Obviously.'

'Obviously.' Xander nodded. 'I mean there's no such thing as aliens.'

'Nope no. Never seen one,' Anya shook her head and Giles was reminded of the Queller demon they'd encountered a few months earlier.

Grunting as the MD inspected his wound Giles picked up Jackson's story. 'Unfortunately no one accepted Dr Jackson's evidence and picked up on the alien influence suggestion a little too enthusiastically. He was laughed out of academic circles and has become a warning tale to anyone that openly questions conventional wisdom.' He told everyone. 'Although quite how that transfers to becoming an officer in the US military I don't know.' That was why he hadn't recognised the man at first. Last time they met he was a young and ambitious academic. Floppy hair, glasses, near constant sneezing and was certainly not in good physical condition.

In contrast this man looked poised, in far better shape and a lot older. Not just in years, but the kind of age that came from experience. 'I had to have a change of career after that, and I was always good with languages. These days I, er, work translations and go in the field with Jack and the team.'

There was a lot more to his story than that, but Giles got the impression if he pushed they might push back and there were a number of questions he did not want to have to try and answer. Before he could come up with a way to artfully change the subject a large black man entered.

He was easily over six feet tall, closer to seven, and appeared to be made of solid muscle. They wore the same dark combat fatigues Dr Jackson and his team were. Carrying the same weapons he also had a strange golden medallion on his forehead. The two of them were unsurprised by their friends appearance. Standing uncomfortably straight, head and shoulders above everyone else, he scanned the room before seeing Buffy.

Quickly they marched to Buffy's side and stood there, still as a statue. The unspoken message loud and clear; she was under this man's protection. Giles strongly doubted it would do much good against the likes of Glory but the man mountain would certainly give most vampires at least second thoughts.

That, of course, assumed the vampire had room for a first thought in their head. 'Who's this wanker?' Spike snarled.

'This is Teal'c. He's with us.' Dr Jackson explained quickly.

Spike seemed to accept that, but everyones attention was drawn to Tara who laughed. 'Kangaroo. Hoppy angry kangaroo.' She smiled at the big man. Giles wasn't sure what she was trying to say, but whatever it was worried Dr Jackson and his friend.

'Well whoever it was they did an adequate job. It looks a little rushed, but you'll be fine once we get you to a proper facility.' Doctor Fraiser told Giles. 'Until then don't exert yourself and if you pull any stitches tell me.'

Giles nodded in agreement, even if he had no intention of following her advice. That done she moved on to Tara, asking Willow about her condition. He wasn't happy about the situation. It was quickly getting out of control. Dr Jackson was a very intelligent man and undoubtably had questions why someone with his credentials was a shop owner. Doctor Fraiser was a skilled medic and Colonel O'Neill was quite obviously the sort of professional that wouldn't take any nonsense. Throw in the giant that stood watch over Buffy and you had a very specialised team. While not the Initiative these people were here for a reason and not just because they were passing through.

'Alright Kids, listen up.' O'Neill came back in, followed by a blonde woman in combat fatigues, 'Here's the deal. We've checked and there's no one else around these parts. Hammond's been informed about what happened. He's sending a full team of marines and transport. We're taking all of you back to Sunnydale hospital where we all get to have a nice debriefing.'

'What about Dawn?' Giles asked. 'We have to find her.'

'We know that. We've spread word to every police officer and national guardsman in the town. The whole place is on lockdown already. Whoever took the girl won't get far.'

'Wait, hold on. Lockdown?' Xander asked, 'What's going on?'

'That's what I'd like to know.' O'Neill quipped back.

'I think what my friend is trying to say is just what exactly a crack team of Air Force personnel, a team of marines and the National Guard are doing in Sunnydale!' Giles challenged.

O'Neill rested his arms on the rifle strapped to his front. 'Right, well it's simple. The General heard there was a little problem people around here were having with going nuts at the drop of a hat. He put a call into the CDC and, wouldn't you know, a couple hundred crazy people for no reason sets off alarm bells from here to Washington and back. Hammond called the President and this whole area is now under marshal law. His.'

'What!' At least three people shouted at once.

'We've got the best experts from around the country flying in and enough people to lock the town down tight. Just about every one of them works for General Hammond and I promise they're just as angry as I am that his granddaughter is in danger.'

'A granddaughter he barely knew about.' Giles snapped back. 'We've been here for her a lot longer. We've been protecting her for a long time.'

* * *

Jack was irked, to put it mildly. These were kids, not counting the old English guy. What the hell were they doing fighting gould and what was bugging him about Summer's expression?

As the others talked amongst themselves, mostly dodging giving straight answers, on both sides, he looked to her again. Her face was blank, totally blank. The other girl, the one in her pyjamas, was obviously the friend Hammond had told them about. She might have been nuts, but she was still quite lively. Looking at everything and muttering nonsense.

Summers was nothing like that. If anything she was… Jack stopped as he realised what was so familiar about that expression. 'Oh crap.' he swore softly. 'Who's idea was it to run?' he whispered.

The bleached blond in leather heard him. 'What was that?'

'Who's idea was it to try and run?' He asked again, louder. Everyone looked at him. 'It was her's wasn't it? Summers did it.'

'We, we knew Glory was coming for Dawn.' The red haired girl told him. 'We couldn't fight so Buffy thought it best to run.'

'She thinks it's her fault. That it's her responsibility.' Jack reasoned. 'That's why she's like this, I'm right aren't I.'

Doc Fraiser shook her head. 'That's a big leap Colonel, given the evidence…'

'Yes, Colonel. It was her plan.' The other Englishman admitted.

Jack nodded 'And now it's gone FUBAR she blames herself.'

'Colonel, you can't know that.'

He looked back at the Doc. 'I know because I've been like that myself. Back when, back when Charlie died.' He admitted. It wasn't something he wanted to, especially not in front of strangers, but it was too similar to what happened. 'I blamed myself. Just sat their starting at the walls for hours. Going over everything I'd done wrong, everything I should have done right. Caught my reflection a few times, I looked just like that. Days could pass and I wouldn't notice.'

He put a hand on her shoulder, knowing you could parade a brass band past the girl at the moment and she wouldn't notice. 'It's alright. It's alright.' He told her.

Teal'c stepped around and knelt in front of her. 'Buffy Summers, I am Teal'c. I serve Hammond of Texas, your grandfather. On my word and the word of my family yours will be safe. I swear to protect you and your sister. This creature that calls itself a god will fail.'

'She didn't hear you Teal'c' Jack explained. 'But we did. Same goes for us.'

'Same.' Daniel agreed, Carter just nodded.

* * *

The truck pulled to a stop outside the hospital. Janet hopped from the back and waved over a couple of orderlies. 'I need two wheelchairs over here, now.'

'Ma'm?' They looked at her, confused.

'My name is Doctor Janet Fraiser. I'm General Hammond's CMO and I have injured inside.' She told them, hoping they'd kept up with the news. After a moment they dashed back to the entrance and wheeled the chairs to them. By then everyone had gotten down.

Mr Giles refused the chair, not that Janet was surprised by that. Despite his obvious pain he was insisting he was fine. She'd seen that kind of bravado before. From people like Jack O'Neill and other officers that were either too macho or too dedicated to let anything slow them down.

Teal'c had volunteered to carry Buffy. She looked like a child in the arms of the big Jaffa and he was taking his recent oath very seriously. Buffy herself was still unresponsive and despite the Colonel's theory Janet wasn't going to rule out that her condition was a symptom of this madness infecting the town.

Speaking of there was one person that was most defiantly afflicted. The girl, Tara. Her close friend Willow had hardly left her side, but had also had the sense to take Tara's medicine with them when they tried to run. A combination of very powerful mood stabilisers and anti-depressants, with those in her system it would be almost impossible to find out just what chemical imbalance was causing the apparent madness. With Willow's permission she'd suggested cutting back on the dosage. Nothing dangerous, just enough for her to get a good idea of what the symptoms were.

Once both Tara and Buffy were in chairs the orderlies lead everyone inside. Janet looked around and saw a lot of people milling about in confusion. At the centre stood a young-ish Doctor that looked haggard. The orderlies headed straight for them. 'Doctor Rodgers?' Janet asked.

'Doctor Fraiser?' she nodded. 'Oh thank god! It's complete chaos here, the entire senior medical staff have quit! I've tried emergency powers, they just ignored me and walked out! Hospital security with them'

'What?' the Colonel shouted.

'Doctor Rodgers, Colonel O'Neill. Colonel this is Doctor Rodgers of the CDC.' she introduced him.

'Colonel, this entire place is a catastrophe! It's not just this latest mess, there's issues that have been swept under the carpet for years and no one wants the blame. Word is the General's been having the same trouble in the town hall. This entire town is rotten to the core.' Rodgers told them.

'I'm getting that.' The Colonel snapped.

'We don't have time for this.' Mr Giles stepped between them. 'We have to find Dawn.'

'Theres a curfew. This town is under complete lockdown, we'll find her.' The Colonel assured him. 'but we need local intel. That's why you are going to stay here and answer some questions.'

'And I just told you we don't have time for that.' Mr Giles winced as he pulled at the wound at his side. 'Xander, Anya, get to the shop. Research everything you can find. You know what to look for.'

The young couple nodded.

'Willow and I will stay here with Buffy and Tara. We'll answer any questions the good Colonel will ask. Spike, you know what to do. Good enough?'

'Those two won't get far.' The Colonel told him. 'The curfew, they'll be stopped.'

Daniel held a hand up. 'I'll be willing to go with them.'

'You will?' Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

'If Professor Giles thinks he's got some material that might help can you think of anyone better?' he pointed out.

The Colonel thought about it for a moment. 'Take Carter with you.' He told them before turning to the platinum blond man. 'What are you going to do?'

He sneered back. 'I get the fun job. I'm going to swing by Glory's place and check it out. If the platelet's there maybe create a distraction. Give her a chance to run.'

The Colonel blinked at that. 'I'm sorry, what was that?'

'Glory's place? Bint's got an apartment, swanky place on the other side of town.' Spike explained.

For a moment it looked like the Colonel was about to explode. After taking a breath he looked around. 'Right, slight change in plan…'

* * *

Jack kicked the door down and rushed the room, behind him SG's 3 and 12 followed, covering his six. Scanning the room he saw a robed figure carrying what looked like a dress in a bag. 'Freeze!' Jack snapped.

They dropped the dress and pulled a dagger from the rope belt around their waist. Jack squeezed off a couple of rounds from his P90 that just staggered the threat. It charged across the room at him, knife held high. Flicking the switch on his weapon's side Jack went to burst fire and tried again.

This time his weapons fire tore a hole in them. Putting the threat down. 'Check them.' Jack snapped as another robed threat came from the left. One of the marines, firing on full auto, practically tore them in half.

Moving in Jack saw a large sofa and swept past it, looking for a hidden threat. Finding nothing he double checked. 'Clear.' he said after a moment.

'Clear.' His support agreed and Jack lowered his weapon. Two targets, they looked like they were servants of some sort.

Billy Idol came in behind the rest of the marines. 'Bugger, must have left.' he snarled.

It wasn't exactly the sort of place you'd expect a snake head to live. No lavish gold, or jewels. It was more a Hollywood diva's weekend getaway, but still a palace. 'You sure this is the right place?'

'Sure. that's where she had me chained up and tortured.' He flicked a finger at a beam that still had a length of chain attached. 'At least they got the blood out the carpet. I told them to put down sheets, but these god types never bloody listen.' With that he lit a cigarette and stalked around the room.

Jack could see a patch of carpet that looked like it had been cleaned recently and made a mental note. This guy might be annoying but volunteering to go somewhere he'd been tortured to try and save a girl was either brave or stupid.

'Sir.' Major Lorne came up to him. 'Looks like whoever was here left in a hurry. The cupboards are empty, so are the dressers.'

Jack nodded. 'Yeah, I'm getting that. Right anywhere else you can think of?'

Trench coat was sniffing the air, reminding Jack of a blood hound. 'Bugger!. Dawn was here alright, not too long ago, but these things smell so bad it's hard to pick her out.' He kicked the corpse nearest to him. 'And they've been all over town.'

Jack got his first good look at the guy he'd taken down. They had long greasy dark hair and pale grey skin. The creatures face was covered in open sores and a had sharp inhuman features. He checked the gruesome wound he'd blown in their chest and saw some sort of dark, almost black, fluid that was too thick to be blood.

'What the hell is that thing, sir?' Lorne asked pulling a face.

It wasn't wearing any body armour Jack could see, which was strange because his first shots should have put them down. The robes were half rotten and looked like they'd been made out of some old curtains that had been thrown out years earlier. 'I don't know Major, but it's not human. Bag them both up and get them to the Hospital for an autopsy.' He looked up and pointed at their guide. 'You, you're coming with me. We're going to brief Hammond on just what the hell we've gotten into here.'

End Chapter Seven


	9. Chapter Eight

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Eight

Sam picked up one of the jars on the table and read the label aloud. 'Troll's Bane?' She asked, holding it up to Daniel.

He shrugged helplessly. From the way her teammate described Professor Giles she had expected some sort of antiques come classic book shop. Not a New Age magic shop with strange things in jars.

The college age couple were pulling books from shelves and out of draws around the place. Piling them up on a central table down in the middle of the shop. Sam bit her lip, but Daniel asked the question she was desperately trying not to.

'How is any of this going to help find the girl, Dawn?' He asked looking at the table.

The girl, Anya, sighed. 'It's hard to explain. You're a book guy right? You can help. We're looking for anything on dimensional portals, other realities and traveling between them. Okay?'

'Dimensions?' Sam asked, unable to stop herself. 'You can't be serious! What are we doing here?'

Xander Harris looked exceptionally uncomfortable for a moment before obviously coming to a decision. 'Right, okay, here's what we know. Glory thinks she's a god, but she's been banished here from her home dimension. She thinks doing something with Dawn, somewhere, is going to help her get back there. We don't know what. This might tell us just what she's doing.'

'This is insane' Sam pointed out.

Anya looked up from her search. 'You don't have to believe any of this, but Glory does and if she's right it could be really bad for all of us. Not just Dawn.'

Daniel was investigating the spine of one of the books, 'What do you mean?'

'We don't really know, but if you see anything about the Key, or a Key tell us. That's what Glory called Dawn.'

Sam looked at the two of them. 'Daniel, can I have a word.' She half pulled him away from the research material. 'You can't believe any of this nonsense, can you?

'Like they said this Glory does believe, and I don't know.' He hefted the book he'd bought over with him. It had what looked like a lithographic cover, changing colour as it caught the light in different ways. One moment it looked like it was written in old english, the next some other language Sam couldn't hope to recognise. 'Professor Giles is an expert in European history and folklore. Why he would leave a prestigious position in London to run a niche retail store in a Californian town I can't imagine.' He looked down again. 'But what if…' He muttered before trailing off.

'Daniel?' She asked, worried for her friend.

'This might be important. I mean really important.' He became suddenly exited. 'Sam; the Goa'uld, they pretend their technology's magic. Cloak it with religion and myth, yes, but what happened to all that knowledge? When the Ancient Egyptians overthrew Ra the Goa'uld wouldn't have had time collect it all. It couldn't have all been lost, most of it possibly, but not all. The Asguard! We know Thor's Hammer was said to be magic, but it's really technology.' Daniel tried to explain his idea urgently.

Sam could see what he was getting at. 'Hang on, you're saying this, all this, could be some sort of archive of Goa'uld and Asguard knowledge? Is that possible?'

'And Nox, Who knows what else. Over the centuries the real meaning could have been lost. Rather than dimensions it could be other worlds, but yes.'

Sam still doubted that, but there was a more important question. 'So why take a teenage girl?'

'No idea.' He admitted, 'But just give me a few minutes to see what I can find out here.'

'I'll radio this in. Daniel, be careful.' She warned him. Not that it would do much good. Once the Archeologist got his head stuck in a book it took something a lot bigger to get it out.

She was walking over to the door when she was stopped by someone else. 'Hold on,' Harris said, catching up to her. 'I'm going to need some help. There might be some stuff in the basement.'

'I'll follow you down, just got to make a report.' Sam told him and stepped to one side.

Getting hold of the Colonel was easy. 'Sir, Carter here.' she spoke into her radio.

'I read you Major. What's your situation?'

Sam winced at what she was about to say. 'Sir, we're with Harris and Jenkins at the shop. It's a, its a magic store sir.'

There was a pause on the other end. 'Magic? Major, did you just say…'

'Yes sir, They think that this Glory is trying to use Dawn Summers for some sort of magic ritual that has something to do with traveling dimensions.'

'Seriously?'

'Seriously sir.' She admitted. 'Daniel seems to believe it's some sort of mythology that's grown around a scientific basis.'

'Are you sure you haven't hit your head or something Carter?'

'I haven't sir, not sure about Daniel.' Sam was going to check him, and herself, for a head wound soon though. 'What's your condition?'

'Bust I'm afraid. We've all but confirmed that it was Glory's base of operations, complete with unhealthy, slimy pox ridden minions.' He explained. 'Carter, whatever they were it wasn't human. I've got Lorne taking a couple of bodies to the Doc to see just what the hell they were.'

Sam felt her eye brows raise at that. 'Not human?'

'Well if they were I wouldn't like to spend any amount of time near them. Fraiser should give us the full story after she's checked them out.'

'And Glory?'

'Cleared out before we got there. I'm heading over to the town hall to fully brief Hammond. I'm stopping at the Summers' home on the way there. Keep those kids out of danger and if you find anything let us know.'

'Understood. Carter out.'

* * *

Dawn looked out of the caged window. It was cracked, held together with wire, but Dawn didn't dare try and squeeze through. Even if she got out she wouldn't get far. Outside Glory's scabby, smelly, servants were making something. It looked like a tower of some sort. It had already fallen down twice, killing some of the crazy people that were helping to build it.

It didn't look safe at all but Dawn had the feeling she was going to be dragged up it eventually. As bad as that was she kept wishing it would fall again, killing more people. Slow it down somehow until Buffy and the others found her. She didn't know if that general guy was right and she didn't care.

All she did care about was stopping Glory and getting home to Buffy.

As the tower slowly grew, again, she could only watch helplessly, hoping and praying that Buffy came for her soon.

* * *

Jack pulled up outside a fairly simple looking suburban house. 'So this it?' he asked his guide.

The man in the leather trench coat grunted and nodded.

'Nice.' Stepping out Jack checked that the street was clear. Aside from a patrol and a couple of police cars reminding everyone of the curfew Sunnydale felt deserted. It wasn't big place, but he'd expected something more. People were curious by nature and a military transport pulling up should have attracted attention. Especially at a time like now. It was almost as if the people of this sleepy little place were deliberately keeping their heads down.

Not that he minded, it made his life easier not having to step around civilians. 'You coming?'

'I'm not invited.' the guy snarled. 'Round back, Buffy was in a rush to leave, she might have forgotten to lock the door.'

Jack didn't like the sound of that and said as much.

'Not the first time.' he explained. 'You sure you want to do this? There are worse things than thieves in this town, even they wouldn't dare break in there.'

'Why not?' Jack asked, genuinely curious.

''cause they know what we'd do to them if they tried.' He said, deadly serious.

Jack didn't know what to make of that. Instead of answering he grabbed his P90 and headed to the garden. Aware he was sneaking around like a robber was only made more worrying when not a single curtain twitched. If anyone was looking out a window they were doing a damn good job of hiding it.

Like Billy Idol had said the back door was unlocked. Flicking his torch on Jack entered the dark house. Inside was a normal appearing kitchen. He wasn't expecting any Home Alone style traps, but the way his guide had sounded he thought there should have been something. Even basic alarm. Nothing.

Feeling like an intruder he passed on into the dining room. There was a few bits and pieces on the table. What looked like homework and some house chores left unfinished and untouched. A half eaten sandwich. the General's grandchildren must have really left in a hurry.

Next up was the living room, it was easily the largest room in the house and was set up as an open space. A coffee table, sofa and a scattering of chairs that looked inexpensive and well worn filled the place. He noticed that there was what looked like a heavy chest propped open behind a large chair. Curious he looked in and was more than surprised.

It was full of swords, axes and wooden stakes of all things. Not just that but there were crucifixes and bottles label holy water tucked to one side. 'What the hell?' he whispered to himself. Pulling out a blade he checked the edge, it was sharp. Really sharp.

Jack couldn't understand what a girl in her twenties would be doing with this stuff. More questions. This place just kept raising them.

Knowing no one would believe him otherwise he slipped the sword in his belt and a couple of the stakes into his combat vest. On a whim he also grabbed a crucifix. 'If all else fails I could always go vampire hunting.' He joked to himself and moved on.

On the stairs he found what he was looking for. Photographs. If they were going to be sending search teams out they needed to know what the girl looked like. One was of Buffy, younger, but not too young. She was with Harris and Rosenberg, smiling. There was something about the photo that put Jack on edge. It wasn't just of three friends having a good time, more like the ones he and his team had taken when on leave. Enjoying life because you knew how hard things could get and had been.

Next to it was another photo of a much younger girl, dark blonde hair and nothing like the other one. This one was just a kid having fun posing for a camera. It had to be Dawn Summers. Jack felt himself getting angry, he didn't like it when kids were in danger and seeing them like this made it all too real.

Grabbing both he left, being sure to lock the door behind him.

This town was really giving him the creeps.

* * *

Daniel swore softly as he carefully turned the page. These books were ancient, well almost. While they had been well cared for and high quality you had to be careful. Some of them had to be absolutely irreplaceable.

From what he could tell his guess was right, these were the collected works of cultures scattered throughout the ancient world. All of it definitive work on advanced and arcane scientific knowledge researchers were only just beginning to understand today. A reference archive of material that shouldn't exist.

He was no expert, not like Sam was, but from what he could remember the descriptions of parallel worlds and higher dimensions were accurate. Either these theologians had anticipated advanced science hundreds of years before it was conventionally accepted that they had, or knowledge had been gleaned from ancient alien contact.

Given the Stargate he knew where he was putting his money.

If Professor Giles had stumbled upon this it would make a lot of sense. Like he said Daniel's fall from academic society was a warning tale. If anyone, even as respected as Rupert Giles, tried to convince the community a fraction of this was possible he'd be laughed out of the building. Just like Daniel had been.

On the other hand; taking an extended sabbatical, far and away from prying eyes, would be a perfect way to keep it quiet. Daniel half wished he'd done the same. Back then he was out to make a name for himself and far too confidant in his own abilities.

Too trusting that the evidence would speak for itself and that people would listen.

'Nothing!' Anya Jenkins slammed a book shut violently, sending a shiver up Daniel's spine. 'You'd think it wouldn't have killed those monks to leave a hint!'

'Monks?' He asked, not sure if he missed something.

'Never mind.' She waved her hand. 'You found anything?'

He looked back at the text. 'Apparently there's a world without shrimp.' He announced, not quite sure if he'd read it right. 'Or it's without sandals.'

Before Jenkins could say anything the door to the basement opened. Sam came up carrying something that was covered with a sheet. 'Get it on the counter.' She ordered the young man that had the other end. Together they lifted it up and Sam pulled off the cover.

It was Buffy Summers.

'What in the world!' Daniel shouted, jumping back.

'Oh, the Buffy-bot. That's where they put it!' Jenkins said, sounding surprised.

Daniel blinked at this. 'Bot as in Robot?' he asked, looking to Sam for an explanation. She just shrugged helplessly.

'Spike had it built to… Play checkers with?' Harris lied very badly.

'It's a gynoid.' Sam exclaimed, moving an arm experimentally. 'I thought I was seeing things! How? Where?'

'Spike had it built. Will must have kept it, she's into science and stuff. It got damaged but she said it was an easy fix.' Harris said again.

Jenkins nodded. 'If Buffy's out the bot can still fight, can't it?'

'Did alright last time.' Harris agreed.

'Sorry, I'm a little confused here, you had a robot replica of the General's granddaughter made to fight?' Daniel asked as Sam was prodding the thing.

'No. It was built to have sex with Spike.' Jenkins explained simply.

Daniel took a moment to think that through, but his mind simply refused accept what it meant. 'Sam, could it actually work?'

The Major peeled back a flap of very realistic looking skin on the robot's stomach to reveal some high tech looking components. 'I, I don't know.' she admitted. 'Most of the equipment looks like something you'd get out of a RadioShack, but the design and the skin? I've never seen anything like it. I'm going to have to call Janet.'

'Why?' Harris asked. 'Isn't she just a medical doctor?'

'If one facsimile like this exists, how can we be sure the one we found with you is the real Buffy Summers?' Sam told them before reaching for the radio.

* * *

Willow flipped back and forth over the page she'd bookmarked. The spell was a variation on dream walking, projecting your conscious mind into another's was easy. She'd done it before when Faith had switched bodies with Buffy. The problem was there was no one home in Buffy's conscious. She'd retreated into herself, that meant sub-conscious. That was trickier, but not impossible.

According to the spell she needed to meditate and not break eye contact. That was the easy part. The hard part would be to separate her own astral form. She didn't have much practice at that. Willow had first thought of this when trying to come up with ways to help get Tara back, but it would never have worked.

Tara's mind had been so fractured that if she'd tried this on her Willow could have gotten just as lost.

What also didn't help was the big, strong and very strange black guy that refused to leave Buffy's side. They'd been given a room off to one side while the new hospital administrator tried to keep things under control. That was a whole other problem that, until Buffy was back with them, Willow didn't have time to worry about.

The door opened and in walked the doctor that had found them at the station. 'What's going on, is it Tara?' Willow asked, jumping to her feet.

'Tara's just fine. She's with Mr Giles and one of my nurses.' The woman said, 'I've just got to check on something.' Pulling out an sterile needle she took a blood sample from Buffy.

Willow watched as she seemed to take her time with it. 'Is everything Okay?' she asked again.

'My friends had a, concern, that Buffy might be in danger.' They frowned and looked at Willow. 'Apparently there's another Buffy at Mr Giles's shop.'

'The Robot Buffy, sure.'

'Robot?' the giant rumbled.

'Yeah, Spike had it built a few weeks ago. He, erm… it's a long story.' she looked at the two of them. 'It's a sex bot. It was built for, well you know.'

The giant's face went almost white with anger.

'I don't think we should mention this to her grandfather.' the Doctor said carefully.

'Maybe not.' Willow agreed, inching away from the big man. 'I only kept it because, well it's a really advanced robot. I was going to reprogram it. Have it help you know.'

'Sam's looking at it, she's a scientist.' The doctor woman explained. 'Has there been any change?'

'With Buffy? No.' Willow told her. 'Might have something though, but I need some time.'

'What do you mean you might have something?'

Willow knew they wouldn't believe her if she told them everything, 'It's complicated, but I might be able to wake her up if I try and get inside. I just need you to make sure no one moves her, or me, while I'm doing it.'

The giant looked skeptical. 'Inside Buffy Summer's mind.'

'Yeah.' Willow admitted, a little scared of the man.

'How?'

Willow pulled up a chair in front of Buffy. 'I sit here, she sits there and I'll just sort of look at her. Just give me half an hour. Please.'

* * *

Dawn hugged her knees up to her chest. Buffy still hadn't come. She was all alone.

Save for the monsters.

Save for Glory.

Dawn had tried everything; screaming, crying, pleading. She'd even tried to fight only to be thrown back like she wasn't there. There was nothing she could do but wait. Wait and watch.

She went back to the window, hoping against hope that she was there in time to see her sister and the others charge into the place. In a tank or something. Dawn had no idea where she'd get one, but her sister had used a rocket launcher once. A tank shouldn't be too hard.

No. There wasn't anyone. No tank. No sister. No friends.

Just Glory's minions building the tower higher and higher.

Dawn was about to turn away when she saw something moving. A flashlight. Six people stepped into the construction site, carrying guns of some sort. Dawn froze in fear! She had no idea where they had come from or what they were doing here.

What she did know was they were going to die.

One of Glory's minions saw them. Shouting their God's name they charged. The men with guns fired, killing the demon. They thought they were winning, but Dawn had seen what had happened to the knights. She was going to have nightmares about what she saw in those few moments.

These people didn't stand a chance.

She knew what she had to do. Banging on the glass she tried to get their attention 'Run!' Dawn screamed as loud as she could. 'Run, Run get away! Please Please run!'

More minions came and charged at the men. They kept firing. It was only a matter of time before Glory reached them.

One of the men broke and dashed towards Dawn. They'd heard her! 'Run, please! Get out of here, you don't know what she can do!' She shouted through the crack in window at them.

'Major Lorne, SGC. Dawn Summers?' He called back. Firing again at the minions, who where now holding back.

'I'm Dawn, yes, I'm Dawn!' she babbled. 'Glory's coming, she'll kill you!'

The man looked up; 'Stay there. I work for your grandfather, we'll get you out!'

He wasn't listening to her, before Dawn could say anything more Glory came out of nowhere. She grabbed the gun the guy had and then threw it, along with him, across the yard. He bounced off the wall and fell in a heap.

'Hands off my Key.' the mad Goddess ordered, walking calmly towards the soldiers.

All Dawn could do was watch.

End Chapter Eight

* * *

Authors note.

This is one of the few stories I've been working on this year where I can see a clear ending so I've decided I'm going to make every effort to finish this off, hopefully before christmas.

This means I'll be posting chapters a lot more frequently, but I've not been able to reply to reviews as much as I'd like to. So I'd like to take this moment to address everyone that leaves a review and let you all know how much it's appreciated. I can't answer them all right now, but you all deserve a big thanks for your continued support.

Thank you very much.

Thomas


	10. Chapter Nine

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Nine

Officially it was called operational security. Riley and his team had other names for it. Not that any of them kept him from feeling stupid. Standing under an incredibly bright spotlight while the rest of the room was in shadow did that to you.

The thing was his unit didn't officially exist and they often went in places that were not always friendly to the US. Especially not if they were trespassing. Getting permission for a non-existent, extremely covert and very heavily armed group was all but impossible. With his superiors nothing but shadows in the dark he couldn't reveal anything if they were discovered, captured and interrogated.

Didn't stop Riley feeling like a bad extra in a cheep 80's Bond flick.

All but blind he was forced to stand at attention and wait. He could just about make out the hushed whispers of whoever it was that gave him his orders. Riley wasn't sure if it was just to keep him off balance, or not, but he didn't like it.

The whispers finally stopped. From his right someone called his name and rank. 'Major Finn. Step forward.'

They sounded old, well educated and not just a little conservative. Riley did as he was ordered and the light followed him. 'Stop.' They snapped and Riley did as he was told. 'Major Finn, you are familiar with Sunnydale. You have heard the reports on the current situation there.'

It wasn't a question, but he nodded anyway.

'Good.' Another voice, this one very much the same coming from right in front of him. 'During the events last year you lead a team of insurgents into our research facility in Sunnydale.'

'Negative sir.' Riley still stood at attention. Staring straight ahead, despite every instinct telling him to try and look the speaker in the face. 'I was captured by Adam, Director Walsh's creation, and taken into a secret lab attached to the facility. The lab was built for the advancement of what was know as the Three-Fourteen Project. The insurgents, as you call them, were already aware of Adam's plans. They broke in to stop them, saving the lives of many soldiers and technicians in the process.'

'Yes, we read the report Major and have seen your original debriefing.' The first voice interrupted him. 'Needless to say there has been some re-evaluation of the events, as reported.'

Riley tried to keep a poker face at that, despite the uncomfortable feeling it set off in his gut. He hadn't recognised the voices of the two that were speaking so far, which meant they weren't at that debriefing and had come to their own conclusions.

'Whatever the truth the current situation is of concern now.' A third voice, a woman's, spoke up. 'The civilians, whatever their goals were at the time, can you assure us they understand the penalty of sharing classified information?'

'Yes ma'm, I can. They know how to keep a secret.' Riley told them. After the disaster that was The Initiative was over Buffy and the gang had been all but forced to sign non-disclosure acts. With the possibility of jail not so subtlety hinted at they had reluctantly agreed.

'Perhaps you don't understand. Officers of the United States Airforce, who have in no way been briefed on the activities of this group, have taken control of the town.' The second voice reminded him needlessly. 'If they were to find out about our previous operations it is a very short chain of command back to the President. Should he, the Joint Chiefs, or influential members of the senate hear about our existence the consequences will be very real.'

'Sir.' Riley understood. It wasn't like a top secret division of the government dedicated to the hunting of demons could be seen to exist. They were so far off the books it wasn't funny.

'So you understand when I say we want you to be absolutely sure that they will not reveal our previous involvement in that god-forsaken place.'

Riley nodded sharply. 'I am positive they will not say anything.'

'Good, good. You and your men will receive your orders within the hour.' The woman announced.

'Sirs, Ma'm. We're being deployed to Sunnydale?' Riley asked quickly.

There was a dangerous pause. 'No.' Said the first voice eventually. 'We feel that would be, unwise at this time.'

'Then I can assume Sanctuary is an option.' Riley said before he could stop himself.

Another pause, this one was longer. 'Yes, you can. Do you have a problem with that Major.' The woman asked.

Riley was lost for words. 'There are civilians, tens of thousands of people in that town. Members of our own military…'

'Which is why Sanctuary has not been enacted yet.' The second voice told him. 'We are monitoring the situation and will only be necessary should the need arise. That is all Major.'

He heard them stand and leave, after a moment the spotlight died and he was left alone in the dark.

* * *

Xander was running out of believable lies. Which wasn't really a surprise. In Sunnydale, land of denial, as long as you came up with a half-way reasonable explanation people bought it. More than willing to fill in the blanks in whatever story you tried to tell.

You could explain away magic, androids, demons, and even rogue hell-gods without much effort. Sunnydale, land of denial.

Problem was these Airforce people didn't come from Sunnydale. Wherever it was they were a lot more suspicious and a lot more competent. The guy was a giant book nerd, so big Giles had even heard about him, and he was almost too interested in the books Anya was trying to dig through.

He was worried, so trying to distract the other one he'd asked them to help in the basement. It wasn't like anyone had told him that's where they stashed the Buffy-Bot and, naturally, it turned out the blonde Major was a scientist. Poking about the machine like a Willow and it looked like she knew exactly what she was doing. Muttering words with way too many syllables as she peeled back parts.

Xander was struggling to come up with some way to get control of the situation when he heard what had to be gunfire outside. From his faded halloween memories he recognised whoever it was were firing in short bursts. Quickly both the Major and Dr Jackson were on their feet. Jackson had a sidearm in his hand and dashed for the window as Carter made for the door.

Xander had other things to worry about and threw himself across the shop, tackling Anya to the ground. 'What, what are you doing?' she tried to push him off.

'Stay down.' He told her and scrambled to the backdoor. Glancing over his shoulder he saw the two Airforce guys leave the shop. Covering each other professionally. In the training room Xander pulled himself back up and grabbed the crossbow nearby He didn't have Slayer strength and needed the lever to cock it, but years fighting side by side with Buffy he knew what he was doing.

Grabbing a quiver and hooking it to his belt he ran back into the shop proper, just in time to see the Major and Dr Jackson return. Between them they were half carrying, half dragging another guy in combat fatigues. It looked like he'd been hit with a car or something. They were unconscious. The Major was still firing, at first Xander couldn't see what at.

Then one of Glory's minions burst through the window. The Major spun and fired. Killing them, but taking her attention away from the door. Another minion tried to come in that way.

Xander didn't have time to think. On instinct he pulled up and fired the crossbow. It flew across the room, arcing over the Major. The bolt caught the demon in the head, knocking it off it's feet and back through the door. Xander managed to re-cock and reload but by then it was over and there weren't anymore minions to shoot.

'Close it!' Xander barked and Dr Jackson got his shoulder behind the jam Locking the door. Anya ran across the room and hit the switch behind the counter. The shutters came down over the window with a loud clatter. Given the life expectancy of Magic Store owners in Sunnydale no one had made any jokes when Giles had them installed.

'Any other ways in here?'

'Back and side door.' Anya told the Major. 'The shutters come down over them too.' she said, reaching under the table and pulling out a large battle-axe. 'But they could have still gotten in.' She looked to the door behind the counter.

'I'll check the back.' Dr Jackson offered as Xander covered Anya. The ex-demon opened the door as he pointed the crossbow. Only he wasn't fast enough. Another of Glory's half-rotten servants leapt out and knocked the crossbow to one side.

Xander was knocked back into the counter, wrestling with the sword welding demon. Anya slammed the door shut and brought her axe up and then down between the demon's shoulders. Xander pushed himself free as Anya tore the axe out.

'Thanks.' He grinned and Anya smirked back. After catching his breath the two of them opened the door again, but there weren't any more surprises. Xander checked the shutter, it looked good. They must have gotten in before it came down.

Back on the Shop floor again he saw that the Major had gotten their friend to a chair and was checking him over. Their friend was still out, a nasty looking cut over their head and Xander had enough experience with broken arms to know that they had one.

Dr Jackson came out from the back. 'We're good. No one got in that way.' He said, hefting a machete he must have picked up in there. 'You do know that place is set up like a training dojo, with about a ton of medieval weapons like this one.'

Xander patted his Crossbow, 'Really?'

It was about then the Major lost her temper. 'What is going on here! Magic books! Robots and now ancient weapons! Just what the hell is going on?' She shouted.

'You know what, we're trying to save your lives here. Not to mention the entire multiverse.' Anya snapped back.

'Ahn!'

'No Xander, all of existence is in danger here! If Glory uses Dawn and it works everything goes boom. We don't have time for any of this lying and sneaking around.'

She had a point. 'What do you mean?' Asked Dr Jackson.

Xander shrugged. 'Truth is Glory doesn't just think she's a God. The whole nine yards. Thing is she was banished and now she want's to get back home. Dawn's special and if Glory does whatever she's going to do she won't just find a way back to the hell dimension she came from. She'll tear down every wall between every possible world.'

'That's not…'

'That is possible.' Anya interrupted. 'If we don't hurry existence as you know it will cease to be.'

'Sam!' Dr Jackson interrupted the Major before she could object. He looked to the two of them, 'Its not that we don't believe you. We believe you believe it's possible, but it is kind of a big thing to accept.' He finished lamely.

'You're talking about a cascading collapse of all the natural laws that govern our reality.' the Major said. 'That's not possible.' She insisted. 'I'm far more likely to believe magic is real before I can accept that.'

'Well Ahn, we're in a magic shop.' Xander turned to his girlfriend. 'Think we can prove it to them?'

* * *

Spike looked around the Town Hall. Years ago, when he was a force in this town, he'd first heard the rumours. Don't cross the Mayor. He hadn't really bothered about it, but the old Sunnydale mob swore it was a bad idea.

At first trying to heal Dru, then dealing with the return of Angelus while trying to recover himself, he hadn't done anything about it. Still, he heard the stories since. About how the wanker was some sort of sorcerer and tried to become a huge demon snake thing and Buffy blew him up, along with the school at her graduation.

The girl was nothing if not creative.

That didn't mean he liked it, or that he liked hanging round the grey haired yank with the gun. He was only doing so because he wanted a chat with the guy in charge.

He was heavy, but Spike could tell it wasn't by choice. The man was in shape once, but time trapped behind the desk had changed that. Vampires didn't put on weight like mortals, they didn't eat for one. Blood gave them energy, sure. Energy they needed to survive, but it didn't become fat. Even if you didn't use it right away.

He was also bald, but Spike could still tell he was Buffy's grandfather. The one he'd been following gave a lazy looking salute, even for an American, and handed the two photos he'd taken from the Slayer's home. Spike was sure he was going to catch hell over that one. He'd half expected Buffy to find out someway, jump to her feet and have come after them already. 'Sir, I picked up these along the way. Thought we'd need some photo ID for the teams out there.'

Joyce's Father looked at it for a moment 'Good idea, Jack. Sergeant, I want copies of this made and distributed to our search teams. The little girl's been kidnapped by what we think is patient zero for this outbreak, of whatever it is.'

The man he was talking to took the photo and headed to do something with it. Spike shook his head. 'Oi, mate!' he called after them. 'Don't, hah hell, if someone does find her tell them to run! They're no match for Glory. Tell them to leg it if they see her and call it in.'

The Sergeant looked back and forth at him and the old man. 'Sir?'

He mulled it over before turning to Spike's new friend. 'Jack?'

Spike sighed. 'You saw what happened outside the petrol station. That was all just her.'

Jack let out a long whistle. 'Better safe than sorry. You heard the man.'

'Yes Sir.'

After the Sergeant had left Jack asked; 'If this Glory is so bad, why you come with us on that raid?'

Spike smirked, he was wondering how long it would take for one of them to ask that. 'Giles tried to convince you not to go. I was just looking for a distraction. I thought it would take her time to mash you lot into paste, enough time to grab the Niblet and run.'

Jack looked at his boss and then back to him. 'So we were the sacrificial lambs.'

Spike shrugged back.

Another guy turned up and Spike was on his guard. They were dressed weird, like he'd just come from the desert or something, but that wasn't the problem. There was a scent. A smell he couldn't place. All these people smelt strange, but this one was more than others.

There were all sorts of different smells, the thing it most reminded Spike of was someone that travelled. Visited lots of different places, but there was something else. Something not human there. It wasn't demon, but really not human. It had him on edge.

'This place is a joke!' the new guy half shouted. 'Who was running it, the three stooges?'

'You've got me.' the General shrugged.

Spike glared at the no smoking sign, wondering if it was worth lighting up just for the hell of it. 'Say what you want; the Old Mayor might have tried to eat people, but he knew how to run this place. These morons couldn't get a piss-up in a brewery right.'

There was an uncomfortable pause. 'The Old Mayor ate people?' Jack asked, as if he didn't quite believe what he was saying.

Spike rummaged in his pockets, looking for his smokes. 'I wasn't there at the time. Word is he was planning to when the high school blew up.'

'The high school blew up?' The new guy asked sharply. 'You know about this George?'

'Someone might have mentioned it. Some sort of gas leak they said.' Buffy's grandfather explained. Spike snorted sharply. 'I take it you heard differently?' he asked.

'Might have been a gas leak. After Buffy and the others filled the place with high explosives to blow up that giant snake.' He gave up his search, fairly sure he'd already burnt through his last cigg anyway. 'You wankers haven't a clue have you? and I'm just wasting my time. Look, the only reason I'm here is I wanted to make sure you got a message.' He said seriously to the General guy. 'Buffy's your blood, but you walked out on Joyce. When all this is over and if we're not all dead you want to get to know her, great. If you hurt her or Dawnie, get all family like before leaving her and the 'bit you'll regret it.'

The man blinked at that. 'Are you threatening me son?'

'No, I'm telling you like it is. Now you lot can sit here and play twenty bloody questions, but I'm going to find the girl and get her home. I'm betting I do that and it'll wake Buffy up and we can get back to saving the sodding world.' With that Spike turned and left. Easily outpacing the three stunned officers and making it outside before running off at full speed into the town.

* * *

Teal'c stood over the two girls. Buffy Summers was in the same unresponsive state she'd been in since they'd met her and her friends. Willow Rosenberg had been reading a large, ancient appearing, book earlier but was currently sitting cross legged in front of her friend.

To Teal'c she appeared to be meditating in what looked very much like Kelno'reem. He had seen many priests, back in the temple, practice the same way. To his side the door opened and in walked Doctor Fraiser. She looked rushed and under pressure, but still professional.

He understood that this sort of situation was her equivalent of a battlefield. While unknown to him she was the battle-master in this strange form of conflict. The enemy too small to see but powerful enough to strike down the mightiest of warriors. He respected her dedication and prowess, but in this conflict he could see she was losing.

The enemy was unknown. Striking down indiscriminately the young and old alike. If it was indeed a new weapon of the false gods it was a terrible one. The idea of losing his mind, being reduced to a blubbering fool, chilled his blood.

'Any change?' Doctor Fraiser asked him.

'There has been none Doctor Fraiser. Buffy Summers is still unresponsive, Willow Rosenberg has indeed entered a trance like state.'

Doctor Fraiser raised an eyebrow skeptically. As she reached for her penlight, he held her back. 'Teal'c, I have to check her responses.' she protested.

'We must wait another ten minutes, as Willow Rosenberg requested.'

'Teal'c if she is infected that means the pathogen is now most likely airborne...'

He shook his head slowly. 'I do not believe that is the case. I believe O'Neill's reasoning to be correct. I too have seen those that are in extreme grief react in this way. Buffy Summers has lost her mother and now her sister has been taken by a false god. She has lost so much that her mind has retreated.'

'That doesn't explain Rosenberg, does it.' Doctor Frasier pointed out.

Teal'c nodded. 'Many years ago Priests on Chulak and elsewhere would practice advanced forms of Kelno'reem. They became adept at this they could reach a state of meditation where they could...' he struggled for a moment with the metaphor. 'The closest description I can manage is to walk in the shadows between the light. A world of shadows. It is said that a few could leave their physical bodies. As they did at Kheb.'

Doctor Fraiser smiled at him. 'That's a nice story Teal'c, but you have no proof. We have an epidemic in this town, we've had to restrain most of the infected. Over the last hour they've attacked two orderlies.' She told him. 'It's like they are being called somewhere. If they are infected I have to know.'

'I will remain here. They will not leave.' He told her.

She frowned but obviously trusted his judgement. 'Okay, I'll be back in ten minutes.' She turned to leave.

'Doctor Fraiser, what of Tara Maclay?'

Doctor Fraiser smiled. 'Lucid, more so than most. She's very brave. Professor Giles is staying with her. It must be helping.'

Teal'c bowed slightly. 'I will inform Willow Rosenberg when she awakes.'

End Chapter Nine


	11. Chapter Ten

Million Miles from Yesterday  
Chapter Ten

Jack swore and tried to catch up to his reluctant local guide, but the guy was just too fast. Once he was outside there was no chance of stopping him. They were practically a blur out the door. The long black trench coat helping them vanish into the shadows.

The General was just behind him, as was Jacob. 'Where they go?' he asked.

Jack waved in the general direction he last saw them. 'That way. They're fast, really fast.'

After a moment the three of them silently agreed trying to follow was pointless and went back inside the Town Hall. 'He won't get far. We, I have teams across town.' The General explained.

'I don't know.' Jack looked back over his shoulder. 'I'm guessing my new friend knows this place a lot better than we do.'

'Speaking of, what's with the sword.' Jacob asked carefully.

Jack glanced at the weapon he'd borrowed. 'I found it in Summer's house. General, your granddaughter has a whole collection of these things. I guess it must be a Sunnydale tradition. There were a whole load of dead people with them around where we found Buffy and her friends. When raided the target we found a couple of, well whatever they were wasn't human. They had them too.'

'Swords?' George asked, sounding nearly as confused as Jack was by the whole thing.

Jack reached into his jacket, pulling out a couple of the wooden stakes he had also picked up. 'And she had a load of these things too. Any ideas?'

Jacob froze at the sight of it. 'Damn.'

'What is it?' the General asked.

'Come on, not out here.' The Tok'Ra grabbed the stake from Jack's hand, holding it close. 'Not in the open. We need to talk, privately.'

* * *

Lorne came too feeling like he'd ejected from a fighter without a parachute. Broken arm, ribs, cracked skull at least. This wasn't his first concussion, but this was a bad one. His head felt two sizes too small and it was hard to stay awake. Lorne tried to get his brain working again. Trying to piece together what had happened.

'Major, you're awake.'

Fighting a wave of nausea Lorne focused on who it was that spoke. 'Major Carter? Where, what?' He asked.

'We were about to ask you.' said Dr Jackson. 'How are you feeling?'

'Ready to go sir.' He said automatically. 'Where am I needed?'

The archeologist shook his head. 'Right here I'm guessing. I don't think you can stand.'

Lorne used his good hand to check what he guessed to be a cut on his forehead. Wincing as he was proven correct. 'I don't need to stand sir.' He objected to the right most of the two Doctors he could see before turning to the other member of SG-1. 'Major Carter, I'm reporting for duty.'

The room he was in spun slightly. 'Is he serious?' A young woman he didn't recognise asked a dark haired young man in a bright shirt that hurt Lorne's eyes.

The young man laughed for a moment. 'He's US Special Forces Ahn. He could be shot, stabbed, dropped down a mineshaft and still expected to fight.'

'Sounds familiar.' She snarked back

Major Carter got his attention. ''Stand down Major and report.'

Nodding made the room spin again. Lorne swallowed hard before starting at the beginning. 'We got intelligence on the Goa'uld's location, and the girl. There were two unknowns at the site, but it had been cleared. They'd moved.' Lorne's head pounded as he tried to concentrate. 'The Colonel wanted to meet up with the General for a report. Sent us with the unknowns back to the hospital, for the Doc to look at them. See what they were.'

'Unknowns?' Dr Jackson asked.

Lorne tried to focus again. 'Things, creatures. Didn't look human.'

'Like these?' The young man pointed at the floor with a weapon.

There was something there. Half familiar and very dead. 'Yes.' he said after a moment. 'Like that.'

Major Carter hushed the boy. 'Finish your report Major.'

'My team were retracing our route back to the hospital when the L-tee saw something. A tower under construction.' Starting from the beginning like he had helped get all the pieces in place. 'Could have sworn it was there the first time. Thought we were lost for minute. It was like it had been put up in a hurry. Wouldn't pass code. I was frightened to go near it. I sent Lieutenant Kilburn with the bodies while I took the rest o my men to investigate.

The memories came back in a flash of pain and anger. 'It was an ambush. She was there. The Generals grand-kid, she looked terrified. Tried to warn us but it was too late. The Goa'uld jumped me, threw me through the air like I was a sack of potatoes. She was strong, too strong. Moved like lightning. Never seen anything like it. She got my team, did something to them. I barely got away.'

'Fingers, in the head?' the young woman asked knowingly.

'It was like sticks sliding into water, and there was this light…' He tried to explain. The image was stuck there but he couldn't find the words.

'Did she get you?'

'No.' Lorne shook his head and the room spun some more.

'Alright Major. I'm going to call for a medial evac.' Major Carter told him. 'Daniel keep an eye on him.'

'Major, tell the general I tried. I'm sorry, I couldn't reach the girl.'

'I know, I'll tell him.'

* * *

Dawn hugged her knees close and tried not to close her eyes too much. Once was bad enough, but that was the second time she'd seen Glory kill.

The worse thing wasn't the bones she could almost feel snapping. The screaming of that one guy she ripped the sanity from that echoed in her ears. The endless blood as she cried for Glory to stop. No, the worst thing was knowing there was nothing anyone could do about any of it.

Nothing she could do. Nothing her sister could do.

'Dawn? Dawn?' asked a familiar voice.

She looked up. 'Ben?' She asked, seeing the young doctor. It wasn't a surprise he was there. It should have been. There was something she was supposed to remember. She knew it was important, but it was like trying to remember a name of someone you met briefly years ago.

It was there, and not there at the same time. 'What did she do to you?' he asked, kneeling next to her.

'Ben. Glory, she… She…' Dawn swallowed and dashed the tears from her eyes. Something was wrong, she knew it. Dawn just couldn't tell what. 'Out there.' She managed.

Ben looked slightly sick. 'I saw. Who were they?'

'I don't know. Army, or someone I guess. We have to get out of here!' Shakily she got to her feet. 'There are those guys everywhere, how are we going to get out?'

'I have an idea.' Ben told her.

* * *

Janet looked at the young officer and then at the bodies he'd brought in. They might have been able to disguise themselves but there was no way they were human. 'Find Dr Williams, he should be on the third floor. Tell him to leave the orderlies too their jobs and make this top priority.' She told him, quickly scribbling her instructions on a notepad.

They still hadn't isolated the cause of this madness. If there were undocumented alien creatures running around it was entirely possible they were carriers of whatever was doing this. 'Tell him to take hazmat protocols and stay with them at all times.' she ordered. As the airman left she headed to a wash basin.

She didn't think it was necessary, but it was better to be safe. Last thing you wanted was to accidentally pick up, or worse still, transmit something. Until they knew what was causing this disaster it was better to be safe than sorry. Quickly cleaning off any contamination she might have picked up Janet checked her watch. it had been more than ten minutes.

Heading back to the room she'd left Buffy and Willow in she passed one of the emergency wards. The patients were being sedated by two members of her own staff she had brought with her. A short time ago the most advanced cases started trying to leave. It was as if they were all responding to some sort of stimulus at once.

Several had gotten out in the confusion, but luckily most had been rounded up. With near riots in the halls Janet had ordered everyone showing signs be sedated. It was already stretching there stocks and god only knew how many were still out there, wandering the streets helpless. Luckily the patrols were already out there and knew anyone showing symptoms should be escorted back.

Janet turned a corner, expecting to be lost in the maze that was Sunnydale Hospital, only to be surprised. Not only had she found the right corridor, but Teal'c was standing guard outside the room.

'I'm late. Sorry, there's a lot to oversee at the moment.'

Teal'c nodded slightly. 'It is understandable, Doctor Fraiser.'

Janet was one of the few people outside of SG-1 that had spent enough time around the Jaffa to recognise his expressions. This one was vaguely smug about something, but at the same time not as happy as he should have been 'What's wrong?' She asked.

Teal'c raised a signature eyebrow before knocking on the door he was guarding and opening it for her. Inside Janet was more than happily surprised to see not only Willow Rosenberg awake but Buffy Summers in the middle of puling back her hair into a tight ponytail. 'You're awake!'

'Yeah, thought I'd try it. You know, for the novelty of it.' Summers quipped quickly. For some reason Janet had expected some trace of a Texan accent, but Summers was Californian through and through. 'Who are you?'

'I'm Doctor Janet Fraiser, I work for your Grandfather.'

'She's one of the people that found us in the desert.' Rosenberg supplied helpfully.

Summers flashed Janet a brief smile that entirely failed to be ether friendly or happy. 'Well thanks for that, but I've got to be going. Things to do. You know.'

Janet wasn't fooled for an instant. 'You want to go after your sister. Miss Summers, Buffy, some of the best members of the US Military are out there, right now, looking for her. You need to stay here.'

'I need to be out there.' Summers said. Her accent might not be similar but her tone of authority could have come straight from the General.

Luckily Janet knew how to handle that. 'I understand you feel you should do something, but as of this evening I am your Doctor. At best you're suffering from extreme stress, malnutrition and even if you appear fully recovered I have strong concerns regarding your mental heath. If you were actually infected by whatever it is in this town you might very well have developed an immunity, which will help identify and combat it. In short you are going nowhere.' She pulled out her penlight. 'Now I am going to run some basic tests on you. Heart rate, blood pressure and the like. Once that's done I'm calling your grandfather.'

'And that's not happening.' Summers told her, the same note of an order expecting to be followed. 'Like I said; thanks, but bye.'

'But nothing.' Janet corrected, feeling like she was talking to her teenage daughter. 'Teal'c, can you come in please?' The hulking Jaffa came in and stood by the door. 'Teal'c here swore to protect you and as I, in my professional opinion, am convinced that your leaving will cause more harm than good I am asking him to make sure you don't leave.'

'Doctor Fraiser is often correct in such matters.' Teal'c rumbled in a voice that was pitched even deeper than usual.

Summers looked up at the giant of a man. Like Janet she was on the short side and Teal'c most certainly was not. He took up more than twice as much space in solid muscle alone. Still Summers smirked, glanced to Rosenberg and then moved.

Janet had spent a long time around the military and had taken more than a few classes in self defence. She knew how to fight, but even she was surprised at the sudden speed of Buffy Summers. The girl turned so fast that she was almost a blur, lashing out with a powerful spin kick that caught Teal'c in the diaphragm.

Now given her size and build even a kick like that shouldn't have done much more than stagger the former First Prime. Instead Teal'c was knocked clean off his feet and clear into the air. Destroying the door behind him and bouncing off the opposite wall. Leaving a crater in the plaster work there.

Summers looked back at Janet with a million watt smile that was anything but friendly. 'I'll be going now.' She announced and then almost bounced out of the door.

Janet could only blink in shock. There was no way the girl could be that strong. It was simple physics, she didn't have the muscle mass. She was about to call for an orderly, maybe two or three, but both girls were already half way down the hall.

'So where's Tara?'

'She's with Giles.'

'And he is…?' Summers asked.

Rosenberg pointed in the opposite direction to where they were going. 'Back there.' she told her friend.

Summers stopped visibly sighed and turned around.

Janet watched as the two of them passed her, both carefully stepping over the stunned Teal'c. 'I really hate this place.' Summers grumbled as the people that had gathered around made way for her

* * *

Sam radioed in, arranging for an emergency ambulance. A few quick orders and they were eventually dispatched. 'Is your friend going to be alright?' Anya Jenkins asked when she was finished.

'Should be. What was that about fingers in peoples heads?' Sam asked. It was one of the many things that had disturbed her over the last ten minutes and hopefully it was one of the few she'd get a straight answer about.

'Glory needs something. Something from inside people's brains. That's how she takes it and when she does what is left behind is madness.'

Sam tried to hide the shiver. 'That's what's causing the increase in the numbers of the mentally disturbed. They are having their sanity, quite literally, stolen?'

Jenkins gave a shrug. They'd tried to convince Sam magic was real with some fairly convincing tricks just before Lorne woke up. She hadn't bought it and not had enough time to find out how it had been done before the injured Major came around. This was probably more of the same.

According to the Major's report the Goa'uld in the town had something that enhanced their speed and strength. It was possible that needed some sort of organic fuel source, something that could be harvested from people but left them insane. If Lorne was injured before he saw what happened the obvious conclusion could have effected his perception.

It was ludicrous, but at least it was significantly more rational than real magic, or the idea that this Glory they were tracking down was an actual goddess. Sam decided to try again to understand it. 'Show me that trick again.' she asked.

Jenkins sighed and lent over the counter again. Pulling out a crystal and a pinch of powder. Putting the crystal in Sam's hand Jenkins sprinkled the power over it. Again it reacted, glowing a rainbow of different colours. After a few moments the light show stopped.

It was some sort of chemical reaction, but cold. Light like that would need to create a heat. Enough to burn her hand. Instead she felt nothing. Sam had seen some strange things off-world, but this was close to cold fusion. Perhaps Daniel's theory about magic being lost alien knowledge was closer that she thought.

When she got back to the SGC she was going to inspect both the crystal and a sample of the powder. Sam was going to ask for it when there was a banging on the shutters.

'Oi, it's me. Let me in!' shouted a cockney English accent.

'Spike?' Harris asked, pulling back the string on his crossbow.

'No, the bloody tooth fairy. Let me in.'

Harris shared a look with Jenkins. 'We might need him.' She told her friend. There was obviously a lack of trust there. After a moment Harris agreed and Jenkins opened the shutters over the door. They hadn't gone up all the way before the man ducked under and came inside.

Harris pointed his weapon at them for a moment before lowering it.

'Where's the Colonel?' Sam asked, recognising the man that had lead the strike team.

'Left him back with the General and some other old guy back at the town hall.' they shrugged.

'That would be her father.' Daniel pointed out.

The platinum blond man half shrugged as if he barely cared and waved a thumb at Lorne. 'What happened to him?'

'Stumbled into Glory. He found Dawn, only I don't think he's in any shape to tell us where they are.'

'I could track his scent. Follow it.'

'What good that's going to do?' Jenkins asked. 'We don't have Buffy. We don't know what Glory's doing to do with Dawn. We don't even know if we can stop her.'

'You not found anything yet?'

Harris grunted. 'Been a little busy, demon attack and explaining to the Air Force why you had a robot Buffy made.'

The man glanced at the android propped up by the counter and winced. 'Oh bugger, I thought you scraped that thing.' Sam realised this was the guy that had it made. She was going to have to talk with him later, find out how and where. Hopefully before Teal'c, or the Colonel, got hold of him. 'So nothing.'

'You want to help?' Harris offered, un-hooking the crossbow and putting it down. 'Pick a book and start reading.'

Spike looked at the pile of research material and shook his head. 'If I can't punch, kick or kill it it's not me.' he admitted. 'But I might know a guy. Well I say guy, more demon. He's got an ear to the ground and knows some stuff. Couldn't hurt.'

'I'll come with you.' Daniel offered.

'What?'

'I'd like to see more of this place.' He explained. 'And if there's more history like this I need to see it.'

Spike shrugged. 'Fine, but don't do, or say, anything stupid.'

It was then the phone rang.

* * *

George followed Jacob into the abandoned office of some deputy that had more than likely ran for the border as soon as they knew he was taking charge. 'This should do.' his old friend said.

'What's this about Jacob?' George asked

The Tok'Ra winced before shaking his head 'Alright, if you think it's best.' They muttered under their breath before stopping. George watched the retired General pause, the set of his shoulders changing as his eyes flashed with a white light.

'General Hammond, Colonel O'Neill.' Selmak said. Their voice the metallic, unearthly sound of a symbiote.

Despite everything George was still a little uncomfortable with the idea of Selmak. He trusted the Tok'Ra, even more than most of his kind. He had proven time and again to be a valuable ally. More than that, a good friend in their own right. That in mind he was still alien. The idea of sharing his body with a creature from another world didn't sit right. 'Selmak.' George nodded formally.

'My apologies. I convinced Jacob to let me be the one to explain, as I fear you may not believe this coming from him.'

Jack looked about as confused as George felt. 'Explain what?'

General, Colonel, Jacob is concerned that the reason this town is as bad as it appears is that it is under siege by creatures you would consider impossible.'

'Creatures?' The two of them asked at the same time.

Selmak gave them a serious look that spoke volumes, spinning the stake in his hand and testing it's weight. 'Creatures you would call demons. Specifically vampires.'

End Chapter Ten


End file.
